Make hell not War
by Blackstorm808
Summary: The war is finally over. A new era of tranquility emerges, but happens when the same people that ended the war are now the ones threatening the Nation's peace? Heroes will become villains. Villains will become heroes. Those long dead will resurface and cause ripples in history. Old bonds will be broken. New ones will be formed. In the end what will be left standing?
1. Chapter 1

**Hellur my lovely people :3**

**This is a new story that's been derping around in my mind for a few days now. **

**I read Nipinkz stories about Azula and was inspired to try my own AzulaCentric tale~**

**This is the intro so you all have an idea of what's going on in the plot in the first chapter when there's going to be actual dialogue and story progression. If any of you reading have taken a look at my Embracing humanity story. I apologize for not updating that. Life kept me occupied and I've had extreme writer's block with it.**

**The next chapter will be longer and less...narrator-y :3**

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What happens when you've lost everything?

What happens when the only thing keeping you sane is the very thing destroying you?

What happens when you finally let go of that insanity?

Is a lifetime of pride enough to sustain you?

Very few people pondered these questions. Very few people could summon the nerve to answer them. One did. Eventually one person had to acknowledge her flaws. She had to take responsibility for the lives she destroyed. She had to justify her reason for existence, and she had to earn her right to live.

When she lost all reason, all coherence, all traces of her sanity-Azula became lost to the abyss. She became a wraith deprived of hunger, thirst, and agency. Drifting into a near catatonic state she fell into a depressed stupor. Nothing roused her. She didn't react to her brother's presence. She didn't react when Ty Lee tried to corral her with old memories of home, and their childhood. She remained excessively quiet-mimicking death even when Mai chose to visit her in her prison. No amount of prompting could persuade her to join the living.

Despite her being in a self induced coma, despite her clearly not being a threat she was still treated like a malignant psychopath. The Four Nations were adamant in keeping her locked away. They didn't want to risk having Azula loose upon the Four was left of her lay in a small six by six cell. With each passing hour she seemed to deteriorate. Her clothes once made of silk, with the finest crimson thread, were now nothing more than tattered rags hanging limply off her bony frame. Her hair was disheveled, and cascaded across her face hiding her expression from any passerby or guard stationed near her. The vast expanse of skin not hidden beneath the rags, exposed her ribs jaggedly jutting out from her side.

A potent odor wafted from the confines of her prison, bringing tears to any who dared enter her domain while she slept. The stench belied a certain inescapable truth-Even former princesses can smell rank after not bathing for months. No one dared wash her though. There were rules, royal edicts that said Azula was not to be touched. She was fed mechanically through a tube-force fed food, and water through the metal bars of her cage but no one touched her, or moved her. She hadn't shifted positions in months.

In retrospect, Azula was nothing more than a husk of a person.

Her body continued to wither way while her mind disintegrated, and the world perceived her as a monstrous burden. Years passed. Even as she lay prone and inert-the world continued spinning. People moved on. People changed-and the Nation changed with them.

The Four Nations on the eve of Sozin's Comet, invested their time in crafting the Four Nation's Treaty. Prince Zuko-Now Firelord Zuko began making negotiations to compensate for all the damage the Fire nation had done to the other 3 bending nations. The Northern and Southern Water tribes began trading knowledge in the arts of healing, as well as drawing up a makeshift exchange program so the Southern Water tribe would have more then one water bender. The Earth Kingdom-In Ba Sing Se especially regarded the Four Nation's Treaty as an opportunity to acquire funds to rebuild. King Kuei was persistent in pursuing programs to raise money for his country, and was encouraging trade between the other 3 nations to boost his economy.

Aang served as a spokesmen for the Air temples, and simply made sure to keep them preserved and act as a mediator and an advocate of peace. He traveled where he was needed and never truly took sides. As the Avatar-his first and primary job was to ensure the world was in balance. Man made disputes were ranked second priority wise.

In the years following the end of Sozin's rule, the nations lost any amenity they had towards each other. Unrest came not from the treaty or the forced alliance, but from those still attatched to the old ways. People plotted in secret on how to usurp the new government. The former admiral Zhao for example, built an intricate spy system. He knew where every prominent political figure was. He knew where they slept, where they ate, and what their habits were.

He ached to send the nations spiraling back into calamity. In order to do that he had to get rid of Zuko. Precariously, he schemed taking extreme caution in every step of his plan. He was going to assassinate the firelord, and therefore send the Fire Nation into chaos. With no heir, and no relatives competent enough to assume the throne the balance of power would shift in his favor.

When the day of reckoning arrived, what started off as an ingenious plan disintegrated into a fool's errand. Instead of killing the Fire Lord-a mistake of epic proportions was made. Instead of Zuko dying that night-his wife, Fire Lady Mai was mistakenly murdered. The supposed assassin had panicked at the last minute, and his concentration had been shot. Instead of shooting Zuko with a dart, filled with an extremely lethal concoction he had accidently shot Mai.

The Fire Lady collapsed immediately.

Then two things happened. Zuko fell to his knees-hands trembling as he watched his wife take in short ragged breaths, and grow paler with each passing minute, and a small army of Fire Nations soldiers began systematically tearing apart the palace searching for an assassin.

No one was ever found.

The assassin, a well trained associate of Zhao's and a former elite soldier under Ozai's command had the foresight to escape the palace before Mai's body even hit the floor. That night it was rumored that Zuko refused to leave his wife's bed side-even as her eyes closed-even as she took her last breath-even as her cherry lips turned a cold lifeless blue.

The next day the Firelord emerged from her chambers a visible shadow darkening his features. His eyes were blood shot, and visible tear marks marred his face.

From that moment on there was a subtle change in Zuko.

He was less approachable.

Less patient.

Less manageable.

He became obsessed with finding peace-in crafting a world where people were safe. He proposed new laws, new delegations for the Four Nations to consider. He wanted people prone to violence to be found and locked up. He wanted those that were unable to turn away from bloodshed to be put down like rabid dogs. A new generation of peace and prosperity had to be ushered in and Zuko wanted to do so with force.

The Earth Kingdom was all too eager to comply with his demands. They wanted compensation for the lives lost in the war, and the benders prone to spilling blood to be punished. The water Southern and Nothern water tribes were apprehensive at first, but loathe to stop anything that guaranteed peace in the near future. So with some reluctance the Four Nations allowed Zuko free reign. They agreed to his contingencies and allowed the most unruly of their citizens to be hunted down, incarcerated, or executed.

Some were eliminated in secret:

Jet.

June.

Former Fire Nation General Li.

Anyone foolish enough to breathe a word of treachery with guards near by, or stupid enough to be caught in a fight outdoors.

Others were executed publically:

Zhao.

Long Feng.

Other Wartime Criminals.

Aang protested these methods-arguing they were inhumane and a life didn't justify a life. However, even with his status as the Avatar he couldn't stop all 4 bending nations. It was beyond his ability. They ignored him, pushing off his words as suggestions instead of heated arguments. Zuko relentlessly pursued each and every person that he felt was a danger to him or his people.

Katara, a hardened liaison of the Southern water tribes didn't have the same idealistic view she once had. She earnestly believed in order to build a safer world extreme measures had to be taken. It took extreme measures to conquer the Four Nations and it would take extreme measures to upholster them to their former glory. The war had permanently changed her view on certain matters. She believed some people were incapable of changing and needed to be put down before they became a problem.

The Northern Water tribe held a similar view. They had lost so many people to the war. Anger and grief clouded their perspective. They wanted someone to pay, and they wanted reassurances that this would never happen again. What better way to ensure a safe future than to make all the dangerous people disappear?

A massive event that came to be known as the Purging swept over the Four Nations.

People were uprooted from their homes, and driven to the edges of their respective nations. Any rumors of discontent, or of opposition against the government was grounds for being purged. If you weren't with the Four Nations you were against them.

One by one people began to vanish.

Common people.

Noble people.

No one was truly safe.

If you held even an ounce of resistance in you, if you were even suspected of being a threat to the utopia being crafted you disappeared without a trace.

The most prominent person to disappear was the Avatar's earth bending teacher: Toph Bei Fong. One day she was there, the next she was nothing more than a memory. No one knew where she was, or even if she was still alive..

Search parties were sent out for her but none were successful in locating her. No one had the faintest idea of where to look and eventually after many exhausting nights with no sleep the Bei Fongs called off the extensive search.

Toph was gone.

Most likely dead.

With the disappearance of the world's most renowned earth bender, a dark fear began to grip the nations. They were no longer at war, but the government kept them in a chokehold-squeezing the lifeblood out of the nation with their rules, regulations, and insidious ideas of law enforcement.

Terror seized the masses. They couldn't do anything. They couldn't say anything. They couldn't run. They couldn't hide. They were constantly monitored.

A perfect utopia was built.

A dream of peace realized.

But that dream was fueled by blood, and consecrated with fear.

How long will such tentative peace last?

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**What do you all think of the intro? Continue? :3**


	2. Chapter 2

**Exoduss I tweaked the events that happened a little. Zhao and Jet weren't dead to begin with in my story they were just extremely wounded and hiding so the Fire Nation wouldn't find them. Clearly...that didn't last very long XD**

**Thanks for the reviews here's a new chapter.**

**This story is unbeta-ed and it's a femslash. ;3**

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The feeling one gets when they've been sleeping a long time-the barely conscious stirring that rouses them to wakefulness enveloped Azula. Her hands callous from years of bending fire, scraped against the cool stone floor as she began to wake from her slumber. As she became more lucid, her eyes fluttered open and shut adjusting to the dim light that protruded through the bars of her cage. As she was burdened with awareness she began to notice things-the former Fire princess was keenly aware of her parched throat. Her lips were dry and cracked. Her limbs, heavy with exhaustion and felt alien to her. Every little movement, caused sharp needle like pain to prick at her muscles. She couldn't summon the energy to sit up.

The list of dysfunctional body parts went on.

Azula grunted softly wincing at the sound. The voice that echoed in the condensed space was foreign to her. Dry and raspy she hardly recognized it as her own.

When her eyes finally peeled open, and managed to pierce through the darkness surrounding her cage, the former princess was in the same room she fell asleep in months ago? Had it been months? Time was a matter of opinion. Before she fell into her depressed stupor days blended seamlessly together, one becoming indistinguishable from the next. How long had she been rotting in this little hell hole?

She moved to comb a hand through her hair, an action she never would have considered when she was a princess and found she couldn't lift her arm above her midsection. Heavy steele manacles encircled her wrists and ankles, restricting her movement even more than the little six by six cage she was dying in did.

"This is bloody wonderful." She groused, shifting her arms so they were carefully folded under her ample chest. She was still reclining against the floor, lying in a position that wouldn't agitate her abused body. Moving her arms sent an unpleasant burning sensation through her limbs. The manacles had left angry red marks on her arms and legs. The skin had been rubbed raw. Very little skin had been left unmarred.

"Oh my god…you're awake."

The stunned exclamation made her tense.

Growing rigid at the words-Azula's cold amber gaze flitted about the room, pausing to linger on a shadowed figure she had neglected to see upon awakening. She tilted her head to the side studying the conspicuous soldier. He was a young man, not old enough to be considered an experienced fighter, but not young enough to be labeled a novice. He guarded the entrance of the room with unusual attentiveness.

It wasn't surprising when he noticed her awake. While Azula's expression was one of carefully practiced neutrality, his was an expression of unbridled shock. His chiseled features were an open book that it took her only seconds to read.

"T-They said y-you'd never wake up. They said you'd be in a coma for the rest of your life." The soldier stuttered, showing an uncharacteristic amount of surprise. Most Fire Nation soldiers stifled their feelings. It was commonly believed that such emotions conveyed weakness.

Despite wearing the standard Fire Nation armor, and despite being charged with guarding her room-This soldier was nothing more than a boy.

Biting back a sigh, Azula fixed the shell shocked child with an annoyed look. She despised kids. They were irksome useless creatures.

"Clearly that isn't the case." She replied snidely, leaning back to rest her head against the cool stone. Her voice lacked it's usual severity otherwise she imagined the soldier would have scrambled back to escape her wrath. Even though there was very little she could do in her condition.

"I have to r-report t-this."

The hesitant way he spoke and the way he fiddled with his fingers suggested he wasn't looking forward to reporting to the Firelord. Shocking. Little Zuzu still didn't inspire confidence in his people. Apparently her brother was still an idiot even after all this time. Azula turned her face away from the anxious guard, focusing on the wall opposite of the door.

"Do what you have to." She intoned, waving him off lazily.

The sound of his metal boots clanking against the stone floor as he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot in front of her cell only served to grate on her nerves further. "Look Princess-"

"Azula." She corrected him forcefully without turning around. "Just Azula." She murmured shaking her head. Her hair fell disparagingly across her face hiding her expression.

"Azula." He repeated her name quietly. "Look, you've been asleep along time. A lot has changed. Firelord Zuko has given strict orders pertaining to you…He's changed ever since the Purging…"

Azula said nothing, letting the silence edge between them. Although she kept her council, a plethora of questions raced across her mind. What was the purging? How did her brother change? How was he ruling the Fire Nation? What orders did he have in relation to her? She wanted to satisfy her curiosity, but didn't want to engage in conversation with the stripling soldier. So she let the quiet envelop them.

Eventually the boy couldn't handle the silence and began rifling through keys so he could open the door. "I'll be back after I go report this." He said grimly, testing each key until he found the right one. He cracked open the door and Azula watched him slip into the Palace leaving her alone with her thoughts. She closed her eyes.

What a terrible place to be…

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Fire Lord Zuko steepled his fingers underneath his chin fixing his council with a calculating expression. The crown rested heavily on his head, taunting him, reminding him of his obligation to his kingdom-to his people. In the large circular war room, seven pairs of eyes bore into his face, silently regarding him. They wanted an answer. An old peculiar gentlemen separated himself from the sea of red, his layers of cloth billowing impressively behind him as he approached Zuko. His name was Fei Juon. He was one of those elders with a long flowing beard, streaming from his wrinkled face. Laugh lines engraved beneath his cheeks suggested he was easily amused, but from the stern expression on his face you couldn't tell.

"Firelord, we're just asking you to consider what we have suggested."

He had been listening to long expressive monologues with a listless expression for the past hour or so. What they were suggesting was inconceivable. "I've listened, and what you're suggesting is asinine. I won't have my people unprotected. I'm not cutting military funding and investing in the market so the rich can get richer."

A long aggrieved sigh escaped Fei Juon's lips. "We're not asking you to fatten the purses of the upperclass. We're asking you stimulate the economy or we're going to fall into a depression. Our currency is losing its value." The advisor groused, his voice becoming short and clipped as his frustration grew.

Zuko stood up abruptly, his chair sliding back with a loud screech. He leveled the old advisor with a chilly look. "I'm well aware of where we stand economically, but I won't sacrifice my nation's security just to make money. We have worked too hard for peace." He said, his tone frosty and his hand's balling into clenched fists at his sides.

"Firelor-"

"We're done here." Zuko all but growled. He turned away, coldly dismissing his advisors who had no qualms about scurrying away. He heard the door close a few times in quick succession and sighed in exasperation, rubbing his throbbing temple. No one wanted to endure his scathing remarks, and murderous glares. No one believed he would publically denounce them, or punish them, but no one wanted to risk his wrath. The extreme option of being purged still terrified them.

"Firelor-"

"I thought I told you to leave." He snapped, fire dancing to the tips of his fingers in response to his anger. When he realized that it wasn't an advisor or even a noble, his glacier like expression softened imperceptibly. "Ah…Maron…What brings you here? You have something to report?"

Maron paled, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. Zuko blinked at his guard's visceral reaction. Maron was generally reserved, and prone to anxiety attacks. As far as soldier's go Maron was untested. The boy was charged with watching Azula during the day until he was relieved of his shift. Zuko rarely ever saw him, but was familiar with his face because he hand picked him. It was important to have people he could trust guarding his sister and his father, and despite any of Maron's other flaws he was loyal to a fault, and he was an exemplary fighter.

"W-w-well S-sir," The boy paused, taking a moment to compose himself. "Firelord, it s-seems your sister is awake..." He trailed off with a wince, staring at Zuko with wide eyes.

He said nothing, the boy's words falling on deaf ears.

After a prolonged moment of silence he opened his mouth to speak and closed it again, his brows furrowing as he tried to process the boy's words. Azula was awake? His heartless, unfeeling sister from hell was awake? She had been in a coma for years. No food or water willingly passed her lips. No blue flames trailed from her inert body. She was dead to the world.

He preferred her that way to be honest.

There was no love lost between him and his younger sister. She was a thorn in his side with no regard for him, or her people. She didn't care about anything that didn't benefit her in someway. She cared about herself and her lust for power. Azula didn't care who she destroyed in order to obtain that power. It was gratifying to her, breaking people and robbing them of pride, and livelihood.

Zuko was intimately familiar with his sister's callous habits.

He scowled, his scarred face creasing in anger.

Maron blanched, turning white as a sheet at the Firelord's severe expression.

"Come with me Maron I want you to wait outside the door while I speak with my sis...with Azula." He swept past the terrified looking guard, striding past him huge purposeful steps. He couldn't bring himself to claim Azula as his sister. He had not considered her as family in years. She was a traitorous wench with ice in her veins, and a black hole where her heart was supposed to be. He adjusted his many layers of crimson as he barged through the palace, stalking to the dungeons.

Maron struggled to follow him, his heavy metal boots clanking against the alabaster floor. As Zuko brushed past the attendees and guards lingering in the hallway they all rushed to bow to him, and acknowledge his title. He ignored the lot of them. Finally he arrived at the outer ring of the palace in a crimson flourish of rage and slammed the heavy doors open that led to the palace dungeon.

Immediately an acrid odor assaulted his senses. Blood and sweat permeated in the air and made it difficult to stew in his fury. Taking much slower steps he carefully picked his way past the row of empty cages. He rarely ever kept prisoners at the palace. Most people who were locked away were imprisoned in the centre of the Fire Nation Capital. The Palace dungeon was reserved for criminals of a certain caliber. Azula occupied a whole floor level on her own, even though the cage she was kept in was smaller than a one person carriage. In the lower levels of the dungeon Ozai took up residence. The former Firelord suffered from an aneurism and deep mental distress. He didn't take losing well, and being chi crippled only magnified his despair.

He hadn't spoken since the day the Avatar took his bending away.

The rank odor intensified, and Zuko's nose wrinkled in disgust as he came to stop at the cage holding his sister. Familiar amber eyes peered out from the darknesss, studying him. Even with her features hidden by her hair and the dim torchlight, he could still see every knob, and jagged bone jutting out from under her skin. Her ribs were visible. Her face was hallowed out from grief, and anger. A latticework of scars littered her frame-some more recent than others.

Oh how the mighty had fallen.

Azula had once been the picture of frugality. Every hair was in place. Every piece of clothing bereft of creases. She was meticulous in her appearance. Now she looked like something out of a horror story. Her clothes were tattered, and hung limply off her frame. Her hair was disheveled, and a thick layer of blood and grime only cemented her vile appearance.

She was a pathetic shell of a human being, lying in her own waste.

She licked her cracked lips, cool amber eyes glued to him.

He tried not to shift uncomfortably under the weight of her stare.

"Well well if it isn't dear little Zuzu come to visit the untouchables." Azula's voice dripped with acid, and Zuko worked to maintain a neutral expression.

He had been in her presence for thirty seconds and her attitude was already grating on him. "Azula." He said evenly.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, my dear Lord brother?" She rasped, her an octave lower, and teeming with exhaustion.

He folded his arms across his chest, wondering how much he should reveal to her. Now that she was awake he had to figure out what to do with her. What would be an acceptable course of action?

"I heard you were awake, and had to come see it for myself. It's not every day a former princess wakes up from a ten year coma."

He watched her carefully, searching for a reaction. If she was surprised at this new information she didn't show it. Another difference between Azula and the majority of the population, most would show some emotion when learning they'd been unconscious for several years. They'd be surprised, angry, terrifed- but not Azula-no she just stared at him with the same bored expression.

"Well you've seen me. Now could you do me a tremendous favor and leave. Seeing your face is the most unpleasant thing I have done all day."

Indignation welled up in his chest, but he did the best he could to ignore her. His eyes narrowed at Azula and took a threatening step towards the bars. She didn't even have the courtesy to flinch. "I would just like to inform you that now that you're awake I will be informing the council and the Four Nations. We will start deliberations and decide your fate."

"Joy." She cheered flatly, not bothering to meet his gaze anymore.

"I would be more concerned about your future if I were you. The odds are not in your favor. You're a threat to the peace, and most will vote to have you eradicated." He said, his voice losing all warmth and inflection.

He couldn't say he was terribly bothered by the idea.

Azula didn't react-didn't even twitch.

Fire Lord Zuko ambled closer, reaching out to grasp the bars of her cage. "I can't protect you."

Unexpected laughter bubbled forth from her lips and he watched thunderstruck as she swayed back and forth at the motion, unable to do much else because of the chains restricting her movements. "Did I ask for your protection? I don't want anything from you and if you're just here to gloat over your victory-then do us both a favor and get the hell out."

"You will watch how you address the Fire Lord." Zuko said icily adopting a superior tone.

"Or what?" Azula sneered, finally looking up at him. "Are you going to punish me? Torture me? Beat me? What could you possibly do that hasn't been done already big brother? I have nothing left for you to take." She said defiantly, meeting his gaze and staring him down.

Zuko's stone like expression darkened considerably at her words. "You are a cancer in this house…The Four Nations will vote, and we will put your head on a noose Azula. I hope you felt your actions during the war were worth it. I won't risk my country by keeping you alive."

Azula laughed hollowly, genuine amusement coloring her tone as well as a tinge of hysteria. "Sugarcoat it however you please Zuzu. Justify yourself. Lie to yourself. Hide behind pretty words like righteousness, and safety. I don't care. The end result is the same. You're murdering your sister to make yourself feel better and using the Fire Nation as a crutch. Grow up." She said tiredly, closing her eyes.

Zuko's jaw clenched and without another word he turned around to stride out of the door.

Little did he know amused amber eyes were fixed on his retreating back.

"Storm's out like a little boy too." Azula mused quietly to herself.

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**What do you think? XD Next chapter's coming soon.**

**Oh and on a side note the chapters will most likely get longer as the story progesses but for right now they're on the short side .**


	3. Chapter 3

**Woot okay new chapter :3 and yes the bad guy is always more interesting XDDDD**

**This one is a bit longer than the others.**

**Read and Enjoy.**

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Katara's slate blue eyes perused the official document in front of her. A few key lines caused her to pause and reread them: _Master Katara, Liaison of the Southern Water Tribe, and honored friend of FireLord Zuko-Your presence has been requested in the Fire Nation._ She frowned. The Fire Nation? The Court ordered mandate for the Four Nation's assembly was not for a couple of months. What was so pressing that Zuko would summon her now? Her gaze narrowed at the document_. At the behest of the Firelord I've been asked to inform you that the traitor Azula has awakened from her coma._

Katara inhaled sharply.

Azula….

She hadn't thought about the former princess in years. After the war Azula had been in critical condition. Her physical state was deplorable, and her mental state hadn't faired much better. The last time Katara had seen her she had been frothing at the mouth.

That was ten years ago.

Since then Katara had been assured that Azula was going to be locked away until the day she died, and that the former princess would be receiving help to heal her fractured mind. That suited her just fine. In the face of peace, in the new era of the Four Nations there were more problems to worry about than just Azula. Tenative alliances were hard to forge, and even harder to keep strong. Not to mention since Ozai's downfall, Katara had been charged with a plethora of new responsibilities. She was the spokeswoman for her people, and the Master water bender for her tribe.

She was solely responsible for training a new generation of water benders and healers in the South Pole. She received minimal help from her sister tribe in the North. They were reluctant to send out any of their benders to support her-so she surged forward on her own.

She rarely found a moment of peace.

However despite her tumultuous lifestyle and despite the fact she now rated sleep as a luxury Katara still tried to keep tabs on people.

Her friends especially. Well-what little of her friends remained. Her circle of friends had had diminished in number over the years. She rarely saw Aang anymore. The Avatar still traveled across the borders seeking out people in need. Zuko was preoccupied in keeping the Fire Nation safe. It was borderline obsession for him. Hs irrefutably the most stubborn person to walk the face of this earth- to the chagrin of his friends. Katara was even estranged from her own brother. Sokka was always busy running various errands around the tribe so he wouldn't have to think about the last five years.

The five years since The Purging…

In that time Toph had disappeared, and Suki-Sokka's future wife, had been found among the innumerous corpses of those who had fallen against the resistance. Over the course of the years several anarchy groups had surfaced, and raised havoc. Five years after the war began and those government ursurpers were realized as a threat-Suki became another fatality, another person to grieve for. In the eve of Mai's assassination, and Suki's murder a new resolve was made. Those unsettled by the new government had no right to kill innocent people. So a new approach was warranted-A more hand's on approach. The Four Nations agreed on a new radical idea-Zuko's idea, and they named it the Purging.

It systematically rooted out and disposed of all the bad seeds endangering the Four Nations.

Katara had never been so uncomfortable and yet relieved by a government edict.

On the one hand people were safe and secure.

On the other hand other people's lives were sacrificed to ensure that security.

Did the end justify the means?

She didn't know, but for now she was happy with the results. She finally felt like she could breathe again. Or she had until she received this letter. For the longest time Azula had been nothing but a memory-the monster lurking in her nightmares that left her alone when she was awake. Reading this letter now-was surreal. Rumors had filtered to her telling her that two years after the war's abrupt end, Azula fell into a coma.

Now she was awake…

Trembling, her eyes traced over the carefully scrawled words, her lips thinning into an unhappy line as she continued to read. _Firelord Zuko has declared Azula an international_ _war criminal. She is charged with treachery, murder, and unlawful actions in every Nation, and will be put on trial to determine the extent of her crimes. Your presence is requested as is every other representative of the Water, Earth, and Air Nations. Even though she is a Fire Nation citizen subject to Fire Nation law, and punishment, her status as an international criminal gives the other Nations leeway to determine what her sentence will be._

_The messenger hawk will stay until you give a reply acknowledging this request._

_~*Lucia Donaro*~ _

_The FireLord's personal Scribe._

Katara blinked re-reading the letter several times before shakily placing the letter on the ice next to her. She bit her bottom lip anxiously, chewing until she tasted blood. The copper flavor steadied her and she released the captured lip, blowing out an exasperated puff of air that stymied into the air, swirling like an ice dragon.

Stiffly she stood up, her legs numb from sitting Indian style for the better part of an hour. She needed to tell Sokka about this, and make preparations to leave. She rolled up the official request, slipping it into her blue snow coat for safe keeping. Silently she shuffled out of her little shack, ducking past the narrowing opening to begin her search for her brother. He could be doing any number of little jobs around the camp.

She had hardly taken two steps when she was halted by a familiar voice.

"Master Katara! Master Katara!"

She turned, her lips tugging into a warm smile.

"Hello Aria."

She greeted her young student, bending down into a crouch so she was on the same eye level as the eight year old prodigy. Aria was the child of two North Pole benders that had transferred to the Southern Water Tribe. Katara had been coaching her in water bending for almost six months now, and Aria was flourishing under her guidance. She absorbed Katara's lessons with the same exuberance and enthusiasm that Aang used too.

"Master Katara-Look at what I can do!"

The eight year old fluidly slid into a stance, and her left arm curved in a grand sweeping motion. In conjunction with her hand a large pillar erupted from the snow spraying chips of ice everywhere. Katara lazily waved a hand so the ice was sent flying to the ground. She did want any stray bits of ice hitting her or Aria. A second later the little prodigy flew into a series of intricate punches and kicks, carving deep scars into the pillar. Katara watched with a curious eye as Aria flowed from one stance to another mirroring the moves Katara had taught her earlier.

When Aria finally stumbled to an uneasy stop, taking in huge lungfuls of air an ice penguin stood haloed in a mound of snow.

Katara wolf whistled lowly. "Wow Aria…that's amazing." She stood up mindful of the little girl's overjoyed expression and strode over to the figurine. Her eyes traced the smooth contours of the ice statue, and she couldn't help but admire the careful attention to detail, and proportion.

The girl had an eye for art.

Aria walked over to her, each step crunching loudly in the snow and tugged on her pant's leg silently asking what she was thinking.

Katara combed a hand through her student's hair, gently threading her fingers through the raven tresses and causing her to giggle. "You did well." She complimented her, smiling as the little girl's face lit up.

"Are you going to teach me something new today?"

Aria asked reverently, rubbing her gloved hands together to generate more warmth.

Katara had barely noticed the frigid weather. It hardly phased her anymore unless there was a blizzard. At her student's question she sighed despairingly, and slowly shook her head. "I can't…I just received a message and need to prepare to leave. I'm sorry Aria." She says gently, trying to soften the blow.

Aria pouted, her bottom lip trembling dangerously.

"When will you be back?"

"The Four Nation's representatives are being assembled so I won't be back for a few weeks…I need to go gather some things to get ready, and find Sokka before I leave though. Have you seen him?"

Aria's little brow furrowed and she hummed in thought. "I think I saw him by the lake. He was fishing." She reported dutifully.

Katara chuckled, and encircled the little girl in a grateful half hug. "Thank you." She said quietly. Aria happily returned the embrace, and for a second Katara believed this feeling justified all the purging in the world. To have kids like this safe, and not being groomed to pay for another war, or fight to stop their family's blood from staining the earth-was worth whatever price they had to pay.

Reluctantly she released Aria, and stood up brushing the snow off her blue overcoat.

"I'm gonna go find Sokka." She stated, turning on her heel to walk in the direction of the lake.

They had a lot to discuss.

The recurring nightmare that was Azula for example.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxX

She found her brother reclining languidly against the ice, his hood propped up over his face to protect him from the cold. In his frozen hands was a wooden fishing pole with a line, dipping into the small circular opening of the ice.

Sokka had grown over the years.

He no longer exuded the same boyish air of immaturity that had followed him all the way to the war. Now he joked sparingly and darkly, his voice a deeper timbre than even their fathers. His scrawny appearance had melted away replaced by broad shoulders, and toned wiry muscles. His top pony tail was gone, replaced by a short disheveled haircut and his mouth that used to have dimples from laughing too much now had deep worry lines from frowning far too often.

When Suki died, part of Sokka had followed her to the grave.

Katara was keenly aware of the grief her brother endured every day. He was terrible at hiding it. Half the time he didn't even bother guarding his feelings anymore. It appeared he was tired of pretending everything was okay.

It wasn't okay.

They had mourned their friends for a long time.

Preceding Suki's death Mai's assassination had unhinged the group, and following the loss of these friends, Toph's mysterious disappearance only cemented their anguish.

Now on the eve of peace, on the eve of reconciling their friend's deaths-the remaining members of the circle- Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko were disconnected on a scary level. They had all changed irrevocably, becoming less involved with each other. They didn't need each other anymore, because the world wasn't falling apart anymore.

Katara still wanted that companionship sometimes though.

She needed it, just like she needed her brother.

"Sokka." She said loudly to draw his attention away from the water and his miserable attempt at fishing.

He craned his head back to look at her, and quirked an eyebrow asking what she wanted without actually saying anything.

Katara took the summons out of her pocket, and unrolled the parchment holding it up so he could see.

"Zuko is asking us to come to the Fire Nation Capital."

Blunt and to the point.

"Why?" He asked shortly, slowly placing his fishing rod on the ground with a thud. Decked in standard tribe clothes and furs, he hardly made a sound as he climbed to his feet, and walked over to her. He snatched the paper out of her hand, his azure gaze skimming the official document. With every passing word a visible frown crept over his features. He threw the hood back so she could see his entire face, and she almost laughed at his incredulous expression.

"He can't be serious." He said finally.

Katara stuffed her hands in her coat pockets so she wouldn't fiddle with them awkwardly.

"He's very serious. Azula's awake and now she's an international war criminal going on trial and we get a say in how she's being sentenced."

Sokka reached up, fingers brushing thoughtfully over his five o clock shadow. "This could be fun. Although I don't know why he's assembling all of us-after all there's not much of a chance of her getting leniency." He smirked tiredly.

"True." Katara shrugged, shaking her head. Azula was widely disliked. The chance of someone advocating for her was slim.

"So as a representative are you coming with me?" She asked after a prolonged moment of silence.

"I'd be honored." Sokka murmured, a wicked smile gracing his features.

Of course her brother who had been skipping almost every meeting with the other Nations for some irrelevant reason, would have no problem attending this one. Sokka seemed to derive pleasure from slaying dragons-especially treacherous ones that ruined lives.

Azula was nothing, if not an unconquerable beast.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Aang shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, his hands tightly gripping his wooden glider. He hated being underground. He hated tunnels. It always left him feeling suffocated when he traveled down here, and he traveled here every full moon with new supplies. Appa's saddle was heavy laden with necessites-fruits, vegetables, water, and herbs. It took an insufferable amount of time to gather all of them but if he didn't hundreds of people would die.

As he carefully tread over the rock's Appa's heavy steps echoing in the narrow cavern behind him he sucked in a shaky breath as they arrived at the entrance.

Simultaneously two guards erupted from the walls of the tunnel, earthbending a path towards him with large pillars of stone. They stopped a hairsbreadth from his face, jagged knives perched in the hollow of his throat.

Aang's adam apple bobbed under the pressure applied by the steel. If he was anyone else he would be dead right now.

"Ah, she said you'd be coming…Well you know how this works Avatar. Don't move and we will check your wares."

Aang nodded steadily. He was well aware of procedure. When he entered the tunnels, he immediately alerted the people lurking there of his presence. He always chose to enter through the secret passage so no one could easily follow him, and he always coaxed Appa into following him with his back full of supplies. In the confines of the earth, long below the surface a place full of life thrived, and these guards protected the entrance. Every time he entered and left he was thoroughly examined, and he never protested.

He had no room to object when they were just protecting their home.

After combing through all of the satchels, and checking the piles of food the second guard returned nodding curtly at his associate. "He's good." He said noncommittally.

The knife at his throat disappeared and Aang visibly relaxed.

"How's everything going?" He asked the guards who turned easy going smiles in his direction.

"Fine. She told us to say you needed to come see her when you arrived."

A small smile tugged at his lips, and he bended his knees his muscles coiling as he swept a gust of air beneath his boots so he floated easily onto Appa's head.

"I'll do that now."

The guards nodded gratefully at him, before turning their backs toward him. With practiced ease they slid into well anchored stance, spreading their legs apart and digging their heels into the earth. As one they pulled their arms back in quick precise movements and 4 tons of dirt moved away at their will, revealing a well hidden entrance.

Aang dipped his head in thanks like he always did.

"Appa yip yip." The large bison surged forward, slowly climbing into the hole. As soon the crossed the threshold the 4 tons of earth slid back into place, and Aaang fixed his gaze on the remote landscape before him. A majestic city, precariously built with stone and dirt lay hollowed out in a large trench before him. The buildings were laid out in a way that more square homes could always be improved on or expanded as the city grew. It reminded him of Omashu, and King Bumi's vicarious palace. It was as grand as his city.

In the centre of this underground kingdom was large imperative looking building. Aang glanced down at Appa, fisting his hands into the bison's thick fur. "Let's go Appa."

The bison grunted in agreement. The great hulking beast lurched off the overhang diving towards the city. As they flew over the masses and the buildings people yelled out a happy greeting, hailing his arrival. Appa ducked under a large vertical overhang swooping towards the intimidating structure they had seen when entering, and visited on several occasions. The bison hovered in the air for a second before sliding to a stop, his hefty bulk kneeling the ground so Aang wouldn't have to work as hard to leap off his head.

The Avatar chuckled, patting his traveling companion before gracefully leaping off his head. "Thanks boy, why don't you go to the market and deliver these goods? I need to go talk to her."

Appa bellowed, which Aang took for an okay, and the airbender hefted his glider over his shoulders. The entrance to the vast building was not even a door. It was simply a large square entrance, with stone engravings around the sides. There was no way to close it because it was always open-always inviting anyone in.

Aang strode hrough the door, making his way down the familiar hallways.

He circumvented the kitchen, and the library, heading straight for the personal quarters. This time where was a door, and he held up a fist to knock. He tilted his head to listen for any movement behind the stone, and was rewarded with a muffled-"Come in."

Aang blinked as the door croaked loudly and disappeared into the floor, evidence there was another earthbender nearby. He reluctantly crossed into the room, eyes flitting back and forth hunting for a familiar face. He found one sitting in the corner. The woman that summoned him-the monarch of all these vagrants sat at a desk, her face masked by a black cloth. Only her eyes, were visible, and tonight they were sharp and angry.

Not a good sign.

Sitting at her feet, looking far less menacing was a wolf-jaguar, a stunning creature with thick dark fur and elegant shapely limbs. Two long tails weaved lazily back and forth beneath the woman's boots, and the beast fixed him with a fanged smile revealing sharp vicious looking ivories. Movement in the corner of his vision revealed another person, this one who's face he was familiar with, but very rarely saw in the city anymore.

Another wolf-jaguar rested at her feet, boring holes into the side of his face.

"Hey ladies." He said uneasily, a small weak smile stretching over his features.

The masked one spoke first. "Hello Avatar-we've been expecting you."

"I heard…I brought supplies and one of the guards told me I should come see you." He addressed the masked woman respectfully in the same tone he always did. He had seen her face once. He knew who she was, but no one else in the city did. They allowed a stranger to rule them because she had taken the reigns unerringly from other anarchist groups, and ruled with a steady fair hand. No one cared who she was-they only cared that she offered freedom, and a safe haven for whoever needed it. As far as they were concerned she was a godsend.

She leveled him with her gaze.

"I did send for you, because my contacts have fed me an interesting bit of news."

Aang tilted his head to the side in curiosity, and expertly swung his staff so it was standing vertically against the ground. He rested it on his shoulder so he had something to lean against. "What news?" He had been traveling for days and the secret entrance to the city was obscure and purposefully hidden away from any city. He hadn't heard any news in a week.

"Princess Azula is awake, and going to be put on trial and the Firelord's going to summon you to help sentence her."

Aang's glider clattered to the floor and he gaped at her. "W-what?"

The wolf-jaguar at her feet sat up eyeing Aang curiously, with a look that screamed-Keep up you dull human creature. Aang resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at the beast, and slowly bent down to pick up his staff. Of all the things he had been expecting, that was not on the list at all.

Azula was awake?

Crazed amber eyes flashed across his minds eye and he shuddered at the memory.

Ten years after the war and he still winced at the mere mention of the princess. She represented at time he never wished to relive-her and Ozai still haunted him. They both did terrible things, and they both were paying for it.

"Avatar…they're going to kill her."

He frowned, hearing the underlying message in her words. The government he had helped institute, that he had helped create was executing another person. He had never supported the death penalty, for any of the people that had been sentenced, and he didn't support it now even if Azula was on the receiving end.

"I can't save her." He said quietly, shaking his head.

This was the impasse they reached every time. He was the sole representative of the Air Nation, but his status at the Avatar didn't give his vote any more power than the other representatives. They overruled, and outvoted him every single time, and he couldn't summon the nerve to fight them. They weren't just political allies. They were his friends.

He couldn't even imagine hurting Zuko, or Katara, or Sokka. They had endured too much already…

The clothed woman sighed, running a hand down the side of her face in exasperation. "So even now, after all this time you still don't know where you stand."

He cast his eyes to the floor remaining silent.

"The guards still check you at the gate, because you still don't know where your allegiance lies. You say what they're doing is wrong, but at the end of the day you still scramble back to them like a lost puppy. You help us out of pity, but your heart belongs them."

He shifted, his boot scraping against the floor. He didn't insult her intelligence by lying. Every word she said was true.

"When will you get tired of us I wonder, and let your friends persuade you we're enemies."

"That won't happen." He said quickly, his gaze shooting up to meet hers. He may be playing the fence, and trying to satisfy everyone, but he wasn't a traitor. He wouldn't reveal her secret or the location of her people. The thought alone made him physically ill.

The masked woman stood up, her armor clinking in the silence of the room. Along with the onyx mask hiding her face, she wore the crisp black cut off pants, which complimented her metal boots. A snug vest fitted over her muscle shirt hid a large assortment of scars, and a very lean frame. A steel plated shoulder pad protected the base of her neck down to her right shoulder. Her many folds of cloth rustled as she walked to the entrance brushing past him. "I hope you're right Avatar." She murmured as she left the room.

Following silently in her wake was the large wolf-jaguar who passed him a cold calculating look as he followed his master.

That left Aang alone with the woman known throughout the city as simply the General. She led the fighter's of the city in the comprehensive battle against the Four Nations, and handled the search and retrieval of people from the surface. She was the only person who was on the same level as the masked woman in the city.

He sighed softly and ambled over to the only available seat left behind, and made himself comfortable preparing for a long talk.

The General who, for the most part had said nothing since his arrival, smirked in his direction.

"Long time no see Twinkle Toes."

* * *

**Okay some of the plot s getting revealed. But not a lot...The twists are still coming XD**

**What do you all think?**


	4. Chapter 4

**New Chap~**

**Read and Enjoy :3**

* * *

An insufferable grin stretched across Aang's face as he gazed as his long time friend, and sister in arms. Toph had grown considerably over the years. She was no longer an overbearing twelve year old loudmouth-now she was an overbearing twenty-two year old tank. She was easily just as heavy as him, and he was just bordering six foot. Unlike him, Toph's weight was all muscle though. Her body was comprised of compact limbs, hardened from years of earthbending and hard manual labor that flowed into soft womanly curves. Her hair was no longer shorn to end at her neck-a band protected her face from the long raven tresses that cascaded down her back like a waterfall.

As a rule, she no longer wore the standard green outfit that defined her earth rumble days, now she was decked out in an outfit similar to her masked counterpart. A loose v neck tank top hugged her form, belted down with a strapped shoulder guard. She also wore durable pants, and metal boots. White linen cloth wove around her forearm, running down the length of the arm to her clenched fists. Her entire outfit was dark black-created specifically to compliment with her duty as the General.

Peering at him with ageless azure eyes, her wolf-jaguar rested at her feet. Toph had formally dubbed the beast-Onteel to accommodate his dignified persona. Ancient legend hailed Onteel as the god of cats, and Toph thought the name was appropriate for her new companion.

"Hey Toph." He greeted her softly, crossing his arms in front of him as he studied her.

She looked exhausted.

"Been awhile. Haven't heard from you since Agni's Festival."

"Agni's festival?...Oh right."

He remembered. Right before the Festival celebrating the great Fire Deity he had stopped by the encampment to drop off supplies. He refused the mask woman's hospitality then, apologizing profusely before bowing out to go attend a gathering at the Fire Nation Capital that Zuko was hosting. It was one of the few times he saw his entire repertoire of friends, and despite Toph's absence it felt a bit like old times.

He treasured those moments.

Ached for them even.

But here, right now-mentioning such a bittersweet memory would only incite Toph's wrath so he decided to embellish a little.

"It took longer to gather supplies, things are rather sparse these days…"

"And I'm a raccoon-monkey." She said flatly, calling his lie, her tone mocking.

He made a face at her, thanking whatever deity out there she couldn't see him.

"Well if everyone wasn't so preoccupied with avoiding you like the plague perhaps it would go easier huh?"

She chuckled, reaching down with one callous hand and caressing Onteel's head. The dark beast immediately relaxed under her touch, and a deep purr emitted from its throat. Aang watched in amusement as the wolf-jaguar's eyelids fell to halfmast and it rumbled in contentment.

"People don't avoid me." He protested after letting her words sink in.

Toph snorted derisively. "Oh please. They avoid you. They're afraid of you because they think you're the Four Nation's little regulator."

A frown creased his features. "I'm not an regulator." He refuted her words quietly.

She paused in stroking Onteel's forehead and the wolf-jaguar glanced up at her petulantly, begging her to continue in her ministrations. She couldn't see its pleading look so she ignored it. Her back came to rest on against the cool stone walls of the room so she could glare at him, and Aang fidgeted under the weight of her stare. Blind or not she knew exactly where he was and what he was thinking.

"No…but you are their advocate." She replied evenly.

Aang sighed, a soft puff of air escaping his lips. "We've talked about this-I don't agree with what our friends have decided to do, but I won't fight them-I can't. You have to understand…I mean Toph, c'mon, they're your friends too."

Toph stared blankly at him.

"They're not my friends."

"Toph-"

She cut him off abruptly. "No Twinkle toes-I believe in fighting-in protecting what's mine." She made a cutting movement with her hand. "They are not protecting _anything_, they're mindlessly slaughtering people in the name of peace."

"It's not ideal-"

"Ideal? It's not even practical. This…utopia they've created is a giant farce. If I knew that taking down Ozai was just trading him up for a whole committee of tyrants I would have fought for him to remain in power."

Aang looked down at his shoes, silently enduring her anger. He was keenly aware of Toph's feelings and felt partly responsible for them. After the Purging began the blind earthbender listened helplessly as her associates- other Earth Rumble contenders were bodily carted off and thrown into prison or executed in secret. When she heard what happened to them, she struck off on her own determined to "see" for herself if the rumors about the government were true.

Her friends were the face of their respective Nations, and all played key parts in the government. She didn't want to believe they were capable of such monstrous actions.

A month into the Purging she left to investigate. She had a plethora of questions, but one all encompassing one: Were her friends responsible for this madness?

Almost immediately she found her answer. That same week an entire city disappeared off the face of the Earth. It was a lawless town filled with vagabonds, outcasts, and various other socially decrepit individuals. The Nations' regulators strode into town and all hell hell erupted. Toph bore witness to death of hundreds of people that day and the disappearance of hundreds more, and she still refused to talk about it. Only one survived, one lone boy survived the massacre, and Toph held him as he breathed his last breath.

It was the first time Aang had ever seen her cry.

From that day onward Toph's prerogative in life was to disappear.

She erased every last trace of herself, and no one for ten years-no one—

from the surface has seen her unless she wanted to be seen. During that time span she personally went out and tracked down every wretch, every motherless child, every last person who needed a safe haven and brought them deep below ground.

Aang never got the full story but at some point, Toph met the masked monarch of these people and bonded with her. They forged in an invulnerable fortress to protect their sanctuary beneath the earth. Toph built the underground kingdom on her own. What would have taken a group of talented earthbenders to do in 20 years Toph did in six months. She built an intricate set of tunnels leading to this trench, and with her own hands forged hundreds of homes for people to live in. The masked woman held Toph in a certain regard because of it.

His former earthbending teacher may be crass and unpredictable but at the end of the day she ruminates on things larger than herself. The masked woman was nothing to toy with either. Her past was more murky than Tophs but the people held her in equally high regard because she treated them all like her family, and always planned a way for them to survive and endure.

She made all the hard decisions, and Toph adhered to them, and the people adhered to both of them. It was a complex progression of power, but it worked. Toph was responsible for all of the elite benders, and the security and retrieval for Safe Haven and the masked woman was responsible for taking care of the camp's resources, occupations, bartering system, and the maintenance of everyone's home.

The people loved them because they didn't flaunt their power and they didn't tyrannize them with it. They provided a safe environment were no one's free will was in jeopardy. In order to acknowledge that, the people themselves were expected to take responsibility for their actions. Everyone had various jobs to do and things to contribute. Any disputes they had with each other they could work out, or fight out, but the end result was the same: someone was going to be satisfied, and someone was going to learn and grow.

Living simply forced people to become familiar with this truth.

Aang never suspected Toph would make a good ruler. Without all the political games, and subtle nuances that helped craft a government her people were content. She was keeping peace in her own way, while he was failing miserably at his own job. It was like he was twelve again struggling to grasp what being the Avatar meant.

He wasn't like Toph.

She was brutally honest.

She never faltered.

She always knew what to do, and did it flawlessly.

"I don't know what you want me to do Toph." He said, his voice resigned.

An evil smile stretched across her lips. "This is what I want from you Twinkle Toes…"

Aang paled considerably.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Cold invaded her limbs as Azula lay curled up on the floor. Her head rested on her knees and her arms were wrapped protectively around herself. She felt like she got run over by a sky last few days had been harrowing for her. People had been walking in and out of her cage to prod at her, and Zuko had ordered the guards to interrogate her to see what she remembered. They did so with sadistic glee, but despite their none-to-gentle methods she couldn't tell them anything, because when they asked what she remembered-

Her answer was: Not much.

She recalled the war, and the staggering defeat the Fire Nation suffered. She remembered being challenged to an Agni Kai and losing spectacularly to that putrid water bender. Then after that things got hazy. After the war ended she recalled losing control of all her faculties. She was beyond consolation. All she could remember was grief and an incredible amount of pain-then there was nothing.

Nothing except disjointed and fractured memories she couldn't piece together.

That didn't satisfy Zuko's little entourage though. They were probing her, asking dark invasive questions. _Do you remember what happened after you were imprisoned? Do you remember the trial? Do you remember the days preceding your coma? Do you remember how you felt? Do you remember how you were treated? Do you remember the state you were in?_

They wanted _something_.

Something happened that she couldn't remember.

Something significant.

She didn't have time to agonize over their reasons for questioning her though-not today at least. Not now.

She was expecting a visit from her brother today to tell her that the Four Nation's council had arrived to decide her fate. Although she couldn't figure out why she was going on trial-after all Ozai had been awake for years and he was still very much alive. Zuko hadn't condemned him yet. Their father had orchestrated the war, and spilled more blood than she ever had, ordered or otherwise, but he was granted a provisional life sentence.

Zuko claimed she was going to the noose.

Something was very wrong here…Perhaps it had to do with the Purging.

Her line of thought was interrupted by the heavy oak door leading to the prison slamming open. Her young guard's boyish voice resonated in the bare room, sounding even more tentative against the strained silence.

"F-firelord."

"At ease Maron." Zuko's monotone made Azula scowl, and she carefully affected a mask of cold indifference. Haltingly, with the utmost care she propped herself up against the bars of her cage, her amber eyes dilating in pain as she hauled herself to an upright position.

She rested her hands in her lap against her tattered rags. It took all of her energy to just sit up-talking to Zuko was going to put her in excruciating pain. She took a shaky breath mentally steeling herself and a minute later the red devil himself walked around the corner, his scarred features tightening in annoyance.

"Hello my dear Lord brother." She said smoothly.

He scowled, mirroring her expression earlier, and Azula internally laughed at his horrendous control. He always did have a poor handle on his emotions. "Azula." He spat her name like it was poisonous.

"Have you come to tell me my day of reckoning has arrived?" She asked, her tone icy.

"I've sent messenger the Water Nation representatives, the Earth King and the Avatar. They should all be here shortly."

"Goodie." She murmured unenthusiastically.

"I suppose I've also come to say a formal goodbye seeing as this is the last time I will speak to you until the trial is over, and you are executed." He said, smugness creeping over his face. His urge to gloat was a purely genetic quality that she could understand. All of Sozin's line were sore losers, and terrible winners.

Her hand grazed over the metal bars of her cage, and she withheld a wince biting her tongue until she tasted blood. Having even the lightest touch upon her skin burned. Even her clothes plastered to her form after weeks of not washing, and stiff from blood and grime chafed at her already abused limbs. She buried her pain with effort focusing on her brother's condescending expression.

"So my death is already a foregone conclusion?" She asked tiredly, her amber gaze sharpening as she glared at him. "Why even bother with the trial then? Why not just kill me now? Aren't I just another part of the Purging?"

She was taking a shot in the dark. She wasn't sure what the Purging was or what it entailed but by dictionary definition it was getting rid of something. She might be able to appreciate it. The way the guard spoke of it-it sounded sinister.

Zuko started, surprise making his jaw drop. "Where did you hear that term?"

Azula snorted. She wouldn't give up any of her sources. If Zuko took Maron away she might get a more experienced guard, and that could be detrimental to her health. "People talk Zuzu." She said airily. With people waltzing in and out of her cell every day her words weren't incriminating. She could be talking about anyone.

Her nonchalant attitude made him all but snarl. "The Purging has nothing to do with you. You're a war criminal being executed-that's all."

She quirked one slender eyebrow. "You're right big brother. The Purging has nothing to do with me…it's all about you."

In the second it took to blink he crossed the distance between them, his face dark with fury. His hand slipped through the bars of the cage, wrapping around the hem of her rags and dragging to the front of the cage so she slammed against the bars. As soon as she impacted against the cool metal, pain laced through her body uncompromising and unforgiving. Unbidden, an agonized hiss escaped her lips as she fought through the red haze threatening to overwhelm her.

"It's never been about me. It's about you, and everyone like you." He said, his voice low and terrifying. "You have ruined everything and I'm purging the world of your kind. No one will live in fear anymore because people like you will be gone. We're making sure of that. The Four Nations are finally at peace."

Perhaps insanity ran in the family too, Azula mused idly as she studied her brother's crazed expression. It would explain a lot…

She licked her cracked lips.

"You're pathetic Zuzu." She said tired of his melodramatic self righteous attitude. It irked her. "For all the good you claim to be doing, and for how enlightened and reformed you supposedly are your actions say otherwise. Tell me-this peace of yours how many people have died for it? How many people have you _killed_ for it? Hundreds? Thousands? Don't insult my intelligence by saying you're a champion of peace while you sit here _thriving_ on a throne of blood. You said you deserved the crown and you would be a better kinder ruler than Father ever was, but instead you have the Nations crushed under your heel just like he did. You easily doubled his kill record." She sneered coldly, using the only weapon she had-words.

Her head whipped back, and she tasted blood again as his hand connected soundly with her face. Her vision went white for a second, and Azula had to cradle her head as her vision began to swim. She meant every word she said. If she was going to rot in here, and die then she had no reservations about speaking her mind.

"I'm protecting my people."

"You're protecting yourself. You're a hypocrite-hiding behind peace and justice to make your actions permissible. You will go down in history as a dictator-driven by blood and your lust for power." She rasped, her voice gravelly and low. "Father would be so proud."

He raised his hand as if to hit her again, and Azula fixed him with a blank stare.

"Firelord Z-zuko."

They both turned towards the door.

"The S-s-southern Water Nation's representatives are here: Master Katara and her brother S-s-sokka. The Earth King is also arriving via t-t-transport, and is just entering the Palace gates. We are just waiting on the Northern Water tribe representatives and the Avatar. Your advisors are assembled in the war room." Maron reported dutifully.

Zuko reluctantly lowered his hand, and Azula stared impassively at him.

"It appears you have business elsewhere." She shifted, glaring up at him so he could see the bruise quickly forming on her face. "Better hurry brother."

His onyx eyes bored into her, studying her for a fraction of a second, before turning-his crimson robes swishing impressively behind him. "Goodbye Azula." He said softly, stalking away and leaving her alone with her thoughts. He left the room and as soon as she heard his steps disappear down the hall Azula sagged into the floor her fingernails digging into the metal confines of her cage.

She was so tired…..

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xX

Zuko hurried to the Entrance hall of the palace where he knew his attendees were gushing over the new arrivals. As he walked he took a deep breath to soothe his raging emotions. Azula's words still rang in his ears-taunting him.

"_You're protecting yourself. You're a hypocrite-hiding behind peace and justice to make your actions permissible. You will go down in history as a dictator-driven by blood and your lust for power…Father would be so proud…"_

He trembled, his hands clenching into shaking fists.

She was wrong.

So very wrong…

His father didn't care about anything except breaking people. He wanted to conquer the world. Zuko just wanted everyone to be safe. The situations weren't even comparable. This is why Azula needed to be gone. She turned every good and perfect thing in the world into something insidious. She would take the tentative peace he helped create and corrupt it. She lived to ruin things for him.

Lost in his thoughts, he barely realized when he arrived at the entrance hall.

"Zuko!" Katara's voice filtered towards him, and his features softened imperceptibly when his gaze trailed to the waterbender. A bright smile adorned her face, and he was reminded sharply of simpler times when he used to see smiles like that regularly. Now they were scarce.

"Hello Katara." His gaze slanted to her brother silently flanking her. "Sokka." He inclined his head, a small smirk stretching across his face. Sokka had grown over the years-the boy was now a man, and his sister was a beautiful woman. He appreciated them both more than they knew. They would make this whole process smoother.

He felt his anger melting away, and stepped closer to greet his friends properly. He enveloped Sokka in a half hug, and clapped him companionably on the back, and then reached out to greet Katara much more warmly, encircling her in a slightly more affectionate hug before reluctantly releasing her. "I'm glad you're both here." He rubbed his throbbing temple.

Recent events left him with far too much thinking time, and his head was beginning to hurt.

Sokka harrumphed shaking his head. "Of course we're here-this is important. You sent out an S.O.S to almost every important political figure throughout the 4 Nations, and you are bound to do something crazy so we're here to save your from yourself."

Maybe he didn't miss his friends that much.

Sokka could have stayed home…

"Thanks." He said dryly rolling his eyes.

"So how is she? Have you talked to her yet?" Katara interrupted any meaningless drabble that might have ensued stepping closer so no nosey servants could overhear them.

Zuko frowned, his jaw clenching.

"I spoke with her."

Both brother and sister gazed at him incredulously. He almost chuckled at their expectant expressions. In any other situation it would have been funny.

"And?" Sokka asked after a moment of silence.

Zuko's hands clasped together, his thumb ghosting over his raw knuckles. They still throbbed from hitting her jaw. "She hasn't changed." He shrugged unhelpfully unsure of how else to answer their question. He wasn't lying. Azula was still the same manipulative heartless wench she always was. The only difference was he was in the position of power this time.

Oh how the tides turn…

"…_Father would be so proud…"_

* * *

**Soooooooo the tension builds-next chapter we might actually see some action. What do you all think? XD  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hellur my lovelies. New chapter. Bear with me on this one , mkay? xD**

**Read and enjoy.**

* * *

Aang glanced miserably around, his eyes casting around for a friend-one of the Fire Nation advisers had ambushed him as soon as he crossed the threshold into the war room where everyone was already waiting. He was late, horribly, incredibly, terribly late. Toph had completely sidetracked him with her off the wall request.

He still didn't know if he was going to indulge her.

If he did things were going to change irrevocably.

"Avatar so glad you can join us..."

"Sorry I'm late-I was helping one of the Earth Nation colonies get some supplies." Aang winced at the lie. Several pairs of eyes fixed on him and he shifted uncomfortably in the doorway twirling his glider expertly between his fingers-a nervous habit he had developed over the years.

At the centre of the room Zuko, the Fire Nation's esteemed Lord stood rigidly, a tolerant smile firmly in place. "Fair enough. The Avatar's work is never finished." He demurred, transferring a stack of papers from the long table in front of him to one of the attendees hovering nearby. "Sit Aang, we were just about to begin."

Complying eagerly, Aang studied the long table looking for an open seat. Zuko naturally stood at the head of the table-The Earth King Kuei stood at his right. To his left were Katara and Sokka to represent the Southern Water Tribes and next to them were the Northern Tribe representatives. Farther down the line were the Fire Nation's council-Zuko's advisers. There was a spot open at the other end of the table directly across from the Firelord. Aang quickly flitted over to the spot, sliding gracefully into the mahogany seat. He slid his glider across his lap, fingering the edges thoughtfully.

"Alright now that everyone's here we can begin the deliberations." Zuko said, taking a seat in his own chair and assuming an authoritative stance.

"First off is this a trial, or are we just planning what day to execute her?" The Earth King leaned in conspiratorially and adjusted his spectacles. His hands clasped together underneath his chin as he feigned extreme interest in the answer.

"We're doing a trial first. We need to determine the extent of her crimes before we decide on her punishment." Zuko confirmed, his onyx eyes sharpening at the question.

One of the advisers snorted. "What is there to discuss? She's a traitor. She deserves a traitor's punishment. Anything else would be a travesty."

Aang spread his palms flat on the table, and cleared his throat. Several curious gazes slid to him. He hadn't said anything since the start of this meeting, and people always assumed he had something wise and insightful to add to the conversation. Although, it wasn't always the insight they desired-so he was frequently ignored.

"Before all else Azula is a Fire Nation citizen, and a former princess. She deserves a fair trial just like every other war time criminal." he interjected smoothly, stunning the majority of the people in the room. Despite his position as Avatar and the keeper of the peace people still managed to be surprised when he advocated for the bad guy.

Gazes shifted uncomfortably back and forth and Aang resisted the urge to sigh.

"And who all is going to be present at this trial?" Sokka's deep timber broke through the silence, and all the assembled people studied him with deep measuring looks. Aang sent him a grateful grin and received a subtle wink in return. Everything considered Sokka was still his friend. He would still support him in most cases…

Although, Sokka was probably just taking his side cuz inevitably the trial was going to end with Azula hanging anyways, Aang conceded-grumbling internally.

Zuko looked to be mentally ticking off the people participating in the trial. As if to emphasize that point his fingers tapped quietly against the table-systematically pausing every few seconds as he counted. "Well there will be the judge-someone of my choosing, most likely Fei Juon because he's the oldest adviser present and will deal with this matter frugally, witnesses-So anyone that has had contact with Azula and could verify her crimes and character, and of course the jury," he gestured in the direction of the table. "Which is us-We're deciding her fate once we've heard all of her crimes."

Aang frowned.

There was no mention of a legal defense. Azula was representing herself in a courtroom where everyone was out for her blood.

No one who had this misfortune of meeting her would listen to her. They would assume every word from her mouth was a lie, or an attempt at manipulating the jurors into her favor.

This method of sentencing would crucify her.

"Any other questions?" Zuko asked, glancing around expectantly.

No one said anything, and Aang keenly felt the tension trickling into the room. They were eager to get this discussion started an earnest.

"Alright, let's go over the list of known crimes we're charging her with, and determine what witnesses we should bring in."

Murmuring swept across the room, and Aang slowly accepted the paper handed to him. Skimming it's contents his gaze paused on the list of suggested witnesses. Some of them he had expected but the names at the bottom led him to pause. He gaped disbelievingly.

Zuko couldn't be serious…

In quick succession it read:

_The Avatar_

_General Iroh_

_Former Firelord Ozai._

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Toph adjusted her many layers of black before spreading her hands over the table-feeling for her pouches that she normally hid in her sash. Did she even leave her survival case on the table? She couldn't remember. Every time she left for the surface she had to prepare herself, and it was difficult because she had a terrible habit of leaving her possessions lying haphazardly around.

Onteel's cold nose bumped against her hand, vying for her attention. She absentmindedly threaded her fingers through his fur, marveling at the soft texture. "Do you know where my pouch is?" She asked her companion only half expecting a response. For some reason were-jaguars possessed a keen intelligence. They couldn't verbally respond to humans but they understood everything that was said. As a species-they were exceedingly rare, and extremely coveted.

It was remarkable they found any.

Onteel and his brother Horatio were found wandering aimlessly around some ruins one day while Toph was in the middle of a retrieval. Two little mewling cubs caught the attention of the search party, and when the little beasts were finally excavated from the ruins they immediately glued themselves to Safe Haven's masked matriarch, and to Toph's consternation—herself.

Onteel had refused to leave her side since.

He was her stalwart companion, just like Horatio was the masked woman's and Appa was Aangs.

A coarse tongue ghosted over her fingertips, reminding her she still had preparations to make. A second later, a leather pouch was dropped into her fingers, and she felt sharp fangs gently grazing against her hand. "Thanks Onteel." She patted his head, genuinely grateful, before sliding the pouch into her sash.

"And now…I need to go find Navaro." She hummed thoughtfully shaking her head. Earth knows where her impudent student had skulked off to. Since becoming the General, she had taken up several responsibilities: retrieving the surface dweller's plagued by the regulators, building an intricate spynetwork to keep tabs on the Four Nations, and most recently training her only pupil-Navaro.

He was another straggler she found wandering around, but unlike Onteel, her hard headed student suffered from an acute sense of guilt and self loathing. He was broken in a way no sixteen year old should be, and she was the only one who knew why. He harbored a terrible secret-one that would haunt him from years to come and Safe Haven was the only place he felt comfortable staying in.

Toph kept him occupied-distracting him from his destructive thoughts by expanding his knowledge of earthbending. He was a quick study, absorbing her words quietly and soaking up all of her lessons. After almost five years of shadowing Toph he mirrored her in personality-channeling her terse attitude and no nonsense demeanor. He was dry and witty, but much quieter and tactful than she was. He complemented her well.

On occasion she could even admit she liked the little turd.

Chuckling she strode through the doorway, ducking under the archway as she left her stone quarters. She was mindful of Onteel's quiet pawsteps behind her as they made their way down the dense hallways. Before they reached the entrance of the vast stone estate, a familiar gravelly voice stopped them.

"General."

Toph paused midstep, tilting her head to the side.

"Lady." She replied evenly, staring blankly in front of her.

No one knew who the masked woman was except Aang. Toph had never bothered to inquire about the identity of her fellow ruler. Not knowing who was behind the mask didn't put anyone at risk. Knowing who was behind the mask wouldn't change anything and everyone was entitled to their secrets. She knew all she needed to know. She knew that inherently, the masked woman had a good heart. She knew she trusted her with her life. She knew that the people perceived her as their savior and affectionately dubbed her Lady Grey-or just Lady.

Toph simply didn't care about the other menial details.

"You're leaving for the surface now?" As always the masked woman's voice was muffled by the cloth covering her face.

A smirk crossed the earthbender's features. "Yes, I'm leaving as soon as I find Navaro."

"You're taking him with you?" Lady's voice was curious not accusing but it still made Toph stand up a bit straighter. She always felt like she was under intense scrutiny in the masked woman's presence.

"He asked to come. Better that he comes with me now, instead of me finding out he tagged along unnoticed later. It's safer for everyone this way." Toph mused out loud, her voice dry and amused. She didn't doubt Navaro's defiant nature. He would travel with her no matter what she said.

"And the Avatar agreed to your plan?"

Toph recalled Aang's anxious shuffling when she told him what she wanted. "It's up to him. I'm proceeding with my plan anyways. I'll know when we enter the Fire Nation in a few hours if he is backing out or not."

"Are you taking your Beta with you too?"

Toph started, her brows furrowing in thought. She completely forgot about her second-in-command. "Bane will want to come." She agreed lightly.

"This mission in particular would be important to her." Lady pointed out.

"It's important to you too." Toph observed quietly. She knew intuitively that Lady Grey would neither confirm nor deny how much this meant to her, in the same way Bane would never acknowledge it either.

Bane was given her name because despite her bubbly persona, she was the bane of her peers existence. She never asked for anything, never begged to be anywhere but this time she would fight to come along. She wouldn't be left out of this plan. Lady Grey also invested a certain measure of hope into Toph's harebrained scheme. The only reason Toph was bothering with this venture at all is because it was important to them, and might work out in their favor later.

Lady Grey shifted, and Toph heard her tapping her foot in rhythm against the cool stone floor. "This plan is dangerous. Are you positive about this?" It was a rare moment indeed when Toph heard uncertainty trickle into the masked woman's voice. She actually took a moment to relish in the experience before a slow wicked smile crept across her face.

"Of course I'm positive. What kind of general shies from danger? I welcome it with open arms."

"Oh dear…"

Toph smirked evilly.

Oh dear, indeed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_Meanwhile in the Fire Nation_

Aang rested his head against Appa's thick fur, his entire body trembling with exhaustion. He had been cooped up in a war room for hours with nothing but bloodthirsty delegates for company. They argued, and debated for a long time. After several hours an outline was finally made of Azula's many offenses. It was a start, a very small start but no progress was made after that. Following the creation of the outline-all of the assembled representatives stood around gossiping about Azula's many grievances and the discussion never got anywhere.

At long last Zuko finally called the deliberations to a halt-telling the room's occupants to take a break, and meet in the long hall for dinner later. They would fine tune Azula's list of grievances tomorrow. By the time he left the war room his head was pounding, and every step cost him an obscene amount of effort. He couldn't believe the complexities surrounding this case.

Azula was going to be tried by people that hated her.

She was going to be judged by a man that had no personal dealings with her.

The people testifying against her were her own flesh and blood : Ozai, Iroh, and Zuko.

She was going to be condemned by her own _family_.

There was no levity. At all.

It was sickening.

"Appa, this is terrible…" he breathed, burying his face into his bison's thick creamy fur. In all this political madness and royal intrigue he needed space lots of fresh air, and a friendly face. He wouldn't be finding that inside the palace so he had quietly excused himself to the stable where he could be alone with the only creatures on Earth he trusted more than his Safe Haven friends.

He couldn't say he trusted his old friends after tonight. He hardly knew them anymore. They had all changed. Katara had grown into a beautiful woman worthy of all the adoring looks she received, but somewhere along the way to womanhood she had lost her unbiased view of the world. She regarded everyone coolly, studying them, observing them and disregarding them. People who offended her newly defined sensibilities were met with a frosty glare that hardly seemed out of character for her these days. She wasn't the same soft hearted girl he remembered. Her smile used to ignite unbridled joy in him- now every time a grin quirked her lips it worried him. In the old days he would have done anything to see that smile…

He used to love her.

Not anymore-now she was a stranger.

Everyone was.

When Sokka arrived, Aang hardly recognized him at all.

The scrawny boy had turned into a stocky man haunted by past transgressions. In that respect both the Firelord and Sokka were very similar. They had grown into large intimidating men, with visible shadows darkening their features. The years following the war had not been kind to them. Losing Suki and Mai had ruined any chance of happiness in their future. They were hollow shells of what they used to be, and stood treading dangerously on the edge of depravity.

Aang was terrified for both of them.

In fact-he was worried for everyone.

All of his friends were battling their own demons. He feared one day they'd cease to fight them entirely…

With Azula's trial approaching-that day might be arriving sooner than later.

His hand's clenched in the bison's fur.

"Alright Appa we're gonna go along with Toph's plan. Do you remember what you're supposed to do?" The giant beast grumbled lightly bumping his massive head against Aang's chest. The airbender chuckled tracing the contour's of the beast's forehead with one callous hand. "Alright then. Let me get your saddle off."

He spent the next several minutes unstrapping leather, and unbuckling latches. He swept himself up in a gust of wind, agilely flipping onto the sky bison's back. Landing deftly on both feet he slid to a crouch. With practiced ease he slid the giant saddle from Appa, watching as it crumpled to the ground with a loud thud. With a quick smile he kicked off the remaining leather clasps that got stuck in the bison's fur before lithely following them to the Earth.

"Alright buddy. Better get going on your nightly flight. You need the exercise because you're getting edgy remember?"

The Bison snorted, swiping his giant tongue down the length of Aang's body affectionately. Aang grimaced as his clothes dripped with bison spit.

"Thanks boy…" He said flatly, shivering in the cool night air as the wet clothes clung to his skin. He watched with narrowed eyes as the great beast huffed in laughter before climbing into the sky, little tendrils of fur flaking to the ground behind him. "Suppose this means I have to go change for dinner." He sighed glancing morosely back at the palace.

Oh joy.

With an annoyed he grunt he slowly trudged back to the inner courtyard, striding silently past the stables. He would have to airbend himself up to his balcony and sneak into his room. There was a change of clothes in his satchel, although he didn't bring anything formal enough for a dinner with every prominent politician in the Four Nations. Maybe next visit-he throught wryly to himself.

Bunching his legs, he lowered himself to the ground his muscles coiled to spring into the air-a second later he elevated himself to the fourth floor, arching lightly in the air before landing silently on the balcony, wisps of air lowering him gently to the ground. He bounded over to the double doors, unlatching them with deft fingers and swinging them open.

His room was just as he left it.

With quick unhurried steps he waltzed over to the bed, grasping the edge of his satchel and flipping it open. He dug around for a second looking for appropriate dresswear for the evening. Being the Avatar gave him slack when it came to appearances, but it was vague and rather obscure. He was still expected to dress a certain way, and conduct himself in a certain manner.

After a moment of searching he found a reasonably clean tunic, and brown pants.

This would have to do.

He discarded his wet clothing to floor, goosebumps traveling down the length of his arms as his skin was exposed to the crisp night air. He shuffled uncomfortably in the frigid cold before sliding the dry tunic over his head, and stepping into the brown pants. A second later he was fully dressed, and glancing around for his glider.

It was leaning against the wall by the door.

Aang adjusted his shirt resisting the urge to sigh, and palmed the wooden staff in his hand. He turned and slowly trudged through the doorway, every progressive step enforcing his desire to turn back. The sound of his footsteps reminded him eerily of a nail being driven into a coffin. He was walking to his metaphorical death. With some trepidation he ghosted down the hallway towards the dining hall, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.

He wasn't nervous, nope not at _all_.

…Right about now the monks should be rolling in their grave.

Tonight he wasn't playing the fence anymore. He was making his position clear. His indecisive streak ended _tonight_. Friends be damned…okay that wasn't true. Aang couldn't function without his friends. He needed them like he needed air. It physically hurt him to think of life without them. Maybe he shouldn't go through with this. If things went wrong he might lose them forever. He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly.

He wondered what Toph would do in his shoes.

A snide voice in the back of his head mocked him.

_Well she probably wouldn't sit outside the dining hall like a lost puppy._

Yes, well, clearly, he wasn't Toph.

When Aang finally summoned the courage to cross the threshold into the dining hall he mentally steeled himself. It was too late to back out now-he already sent Appa off to do his part. Toph and Lady Grey were depending on him. His hands clenched into fists. _Calm down Aang_. He relaxed reluctantly and took a shaky breath, before focusing on his surroundings. He had to be aware of what was going on. As soon as he slipped past the doors he was met with boisterous people, and bustling activity. He gulped unsteadily, and fought to control his scattered nerves.

"Aang it's about time you made it." A heavy arm slung across his shoulders, and he fought to stay upright under the unexpected weight. He turned to see who was crushing him, and was surprised to see Sokka's calm visage grinning back at him. Red stained the tanned warriors cheeks and Aang could detect the faint smell of alcohol stymieing from his breath.

"Your drunk." He stated matter-a-factly.

Sokka's blotchy face colored in surprise. "No my friend…You are just incredibly sober."

Aang shrugged the tribesman's hand off his shoulder, watching in amusement as he struggled to stay upright by himself. "What exactly did they give you?"

"Love. Ecstasy. Unrestrained-"

"Iroh's special Elixir?" He cut his drunken friend off, his lips tugging upward into a smile.

"Iroh's special Elixir." Sokka slurred, far too much glee brightening his features.

Aang held his hand out steady the swaying warrior. "Maybe you should sit down…drink some water?" He suggested balefully, reaching for the bottle cradled in Sokka's left hand. As soon as his hand brushed against the glass it disappeared from his reach and Sokka waved one finger lazily in the air.

"Nurr. My bottle of love. Your gonna have to find your own Twinkle toes." The warrior crowed happily and lifted the dark bottle to take another swig. Aang arched an eyebrow as he watched the liquid drain into his friend's throat, a few droplets splashing down the corner of his mouth. "Eat. Be merry. We're gonna slay a dragon later." Sokka swayed unsteadily on his feet, and Aang watched with wide eyes the warrior brushed past him, and paused to whisper in his ear. "Water is for the weak."

"O…kay…then." He said eyeing his friend strangely as he disappeared into the crowd. Sokka was a terrible drunk, he mused quietly to himself. Before he could ruminate about his inebriated friend or examine the other occupants of the room-Another hand fell heavily on his shoulder. Aang turned, anxiousness written in every line of his face.

A familiar wrinkled face with kind twinkling eyes greeted him. "Hello young Avatar."

He inclined his head, grinning tentatively. "Hello General Iroh."

The Dragon of the West folded his hands into the sleeves of his robes, his gaze skimming over the crowd before falling on Sokka who was now on the other side of the room flirting incessantly with some Fire Nation noblewoman. "I fear I might have given him too much freedom in my wine cellar." He said chuckling in bemusement.

"I agree." Aang said, shaking his head at his friend's antics. "If he remembers anything tomorrow I will be surprised."

Iroh smirked in the subtle way all older gentlemen did when they were reminiscing about doing the same thing the younger stupider generation was doing in the present. "Yes…he's going to have quite the hangover in the morning, but enjoying a good drink is fine on occasion. I have found it has a cleansing effect on the mind." He remarked serenely.

Aang fixed him with an incredulous expression. "Cleansing huh…I find meditation cleansing, and less painful." He replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. He was twenty-two and had never touched an alcoholic beverage. He generally avoided things that dulled the senses, and the monk's never believed in consuming alcohol.

Although tonight he was so very tempted.

"Perhaps." Iroh shrugged, an imperceptible shift of his shoulders. "So how has Fire Nation hospitality been treating you, Avatar?" He asked curiously, his shaggy eyebrows drawing together as he waited for an answer.

"Fine. I've been well attended too." Aang responded with the politically correct answer wondering why Iroh was engaging in small talk. The old man never did anything spur of the moment. He carefully calculated every word, and always had a secondary reason for asking.

"Good, good. I'll leave you to enjoy the party then-I doubt you want to waste perfectly good leisure time with an old general like myself." Iroh grinned lightly, his eyes crinkling at his self deprecating humor. "Perhaps we'll speak again in the next few days."

Aang blinked as Iroh turned away and at the last second remembered to bow-acknowledging the general's title and age. "I'll be looking forward to it." He lied smoothly, knowing that his actions tonight would prove to be contrary to his words. If anyone looked forward to seeing him after tonight it would shock him.

As Iroh melted into the crowd, his gaze flicked around the room searching for any other familiar faces. He was looking for one in particular. After a moment he found her standing alone in the corner sipping an emerald colored drink from a glass. Aang sighed disparagingly, hating the situation he was in. He closed his eyes taking a minute to gather himself before looking up and plastering a happy smile on his face.

He surged into the crowd, weaving in and out of the tangled web of people till he freed himself from the dense ocean of limbs and over dressed nobles. He stopped directly in front of his target, gently tapping her shoulder to get her attention.

Stunning azure eyes glanced up at him. "Hey Aang," Katara's soft voice washed over him.

"Hello Katara." He greeted his longtime crush, his tone mellow, and indiscernible.

"How are you?" She asked, concern darkening her gaze.

"I'm fine. How are you? How have you been doing?" He deflected her question focusing the conversation on her. He wasn't in the mood to divulge his lifestory. They weren't close like that anymore.

"I've been fine, just busy." She sighed in exasperation, running a hand anxiously through her auburn tresses. "I have so many new students, and responsibilities as the Southern Water tribe liaison. I'm always finding something to sign, trade or teach. It's exhausting." She laughed.

Aang faked an interested sound. She forgot to mention her contribution to the Four Nation's regulators. She deserved credit there too. Thanks to Katara water benders were much easier to capture and incarcerate. "I see…are you getting enough rest?"

A small crease formed between her eyebrows as she studied him, and he fought the urge to fidget underneath her examination. "You haven't changed have you? Even after all this time…you still…" She trailed off, and Aang tilted his head to the side curiously waiting for her to continue. She reached out timidly, softly tracing his cheek with the tips of her fingers. It was far too tender and intimate for him.

He grasped her exploring hand, throwing it away from his face and took a step away from her. "Don't." He said shortly, his voice coming out tight and strained.

"I miss you so much…Sometimes I-"

"Katara." He whisper-yelled, his voice coming out harsher than he intended. He meant it as a warning. They could not get into this here. At his tone several curious looks slanted in there direction but he never tore his gaze from the pretty waterbender. A hurt look crossed her face and she opened her mouth to protest.

"Aang you can't ignore this forever-"

"I'm not ignoring it. I'm telling you there's nothing to talk about. So leave it alone." His voice lowered an octave in anger, even as a large crowd began to gather around them. Under normal circumstances he would never dream of instigating something with Katara of all people but he had to keep pushing.

"You broke up with me." Katara said frustration coloring her tone. Her hands clenched into trembling fists at her side. "At least have the decency to tell me why. You said it wasn't working out. It wasn't me-it was you. Those were your words. Why won't you consider it-Even now? What changed Aang?"

"Everyone did!" His voice cracked like a whip across the room, and by now everyone was silently watching their exchange. "I don't know any of you anymore. You've all turned into different people. Ever since the Purging you've all become colder, less predictable, less understandable. It's like half of your humanity died in the war. You're my friends, and I love all of you, but I don't trust you anymore. _Any_ of you." He took a deep breath as he felt energy dancing along the vast expanse of skin beneath his tunic. His sky blue arrows illuminated the room as his Avatar State hovered at the edge of his awareness. He held his power tightly in his grasp waiting for the right moment to release it and lose himself in the rush. Slowly, long jagged wisps of wind circulated around him as he defied gravity lifting off the floor.

He had to drive this home.

"And I can't do this anymore…I'm withdrawing myself from the Four Nation's treaty, as of right now I'm a rogue party-separate from the government." He said quietly, before his eyes glowed an unearthly white and he lost himself in the Avatar state.

Vaguely he was aware of everyone gaping at him, but enveloped in all that power only one thought permeated through the haze, pricking at his consciousness.

His decision was momentous in and of itself, but what these people didn't know is that he was only the distraction.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX 

Azula lay prone against the floor her breath coming in frail uneven paints. It hurt to breathe. She could barely muster the energy to lift her head. Every muscle, every sinew, every obscure inch of her body ached. Interrogation was by the far the most unpleasant thing she had endured during her captivity. After determining she had nothing to say-her antagonists decided to simply torture her for pleasure. Blood matted her hair, and crusted along her body, reminding her of every torture method she had suffered through in the last couple of days.

The pain was unbearable.

If she shifted, her ribs sent mind numbing pain coursing through her limbs.

Every time she took a short ragged breath, tears pricked the corner of her eyes as her diaphragm contracted. Her chest was a huge source of discomfort and pain, and her arm hung limply at an awkward angle.

Her vision faded in and out, and she licked her cracked lips. Delirium was altogether a terrible experience. "I should've pushed Zuzu into killing me a week ago." She murmured to herself resting her head against cool metal floor of her cage.

She lay there for awhile slipping in and out of coherency until finally several loud aggressive noises roused her to the waking world. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the dimly lit room. When she could finally see distinct outlines, she blinked blearily unsure of how to respond to the scene in front of her. A fight had broken erupted directly outside her cage. She watched detachedly as Maron's body collapsed limply to the ground in a heap of useless limbs. He crumpled to the ground as if someone had rendered all his bones useless.

She couldn't see his attacker though.

"Hello?" She asked peering questioningly into the darkness.

She didn't see anyone.

Two distorted figures separated themselves from the shadows, and Azula's amber eyes sharpened as she studied the hooded one first, noting the distinctly feminine shape beneath the cloak. Her eyes slanted to the boy next to her who looked to be about fourteen, maybe younger. He was decked out in commoner's clothes, but had a certain regal air about him. Azula got the distinct impression she should be wary of them both.

"Well well, aren't you all the life of the party?" She rasped weakly.

"Oh my god, Azula…" The female bit her lip, her voice coming out an agonized whisper.

"Is that her Bane?" The young boy asked studying Azula's face with interest.

"That's her. Can you get her chains off Navaro?" The woman-formally dubbed Bane inclined her head at the shackles encircling Azula's wrist. The ex princess glanced disbelievingly between the two unknown intruders. Who the hell were these people? She couldn't fathom why two people had invaded her cell intent on freeing her, nor could she discern how they slipped into the palace so easily. Where were the guards Zuko was so proud of? Sleeping?

The boy snorted derisively. "Have you met my bendingmaster? This is nothing." Azula blinked as the boy slid into an earthbending stance, exhibiting all the immobility and strength of a boulder. His hands arched in a smooth circle diagonal to his body, and Azula watched carefully as he pulled his palms back to his chest. The shackles fell away from her wrist and ankles, clattering to the floor with a resounding clang.

She blinked again, an acute sense of whiplash washing over her.

She was free…?

"Can you move?" Azula held back a hiss as the cloaked female was suddenly next to her gently pressing callous hands against her wounds.

The feeling of hands prodding against her abused flesh caused her to bite her tongue so hard she bled, in order to subdue a whimper of pain that threatened to escape her lips. "Who are you?" She murmured

Bane paused in her ministrations and reached up with a hand deftly shoving her hood back.

"Long time no see 'Zula."

She almost sagged to the floor in relief at seeing a familiar, albeit severely scarred face. "Ty Lee." She breathed, stifling a surprised sound. Her friend was rescuing her? Even after what she did to her? After the war? After imprisoning her at Boiling rock? Even now she didn't understand the inner workings of Ty Lees mind. The former acrobat should be looking forward to Azula's inevitable demise. The ex-princess wouldn't have been surprised if Ty Lee had decided to dance on her grave. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping you." Was the simple reply.

For one insane moment, Azula deigned to believe her.

For a second she decided to perceive Ty Lee as an acquaintance with no ulterior motives.

Than reality crashed into her, breaking her all over again.

"I'm beyond help Ty." She admitted lowly, her voice resigned.

There was no rest for the wicked.

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**Alrighty then. End of chapter...more bad things happen next update. The plot thickens.**

**What do you all think? xD **

**Questions? Comments?**

**oh yeah and I noticed lots of mistakes in the last few chapters because Fanfiction likes cutting off my sentences. I'll go back and fix those at some point .**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright-New chapter.**

**To answer someone's review: I'm attempting to make this story Toph x Azula but it's gonna be hard cuz they're so different, and there's no subtext between them in the show so I'm building a relationship off of nothing :3**

**And I apologize beforehand for any mistakes. I'm incredibly sick right now so I might have missed somethings :/**

* * *

Navaro shifted uneasily from foot to foot, impatience riddling his body with tension. "Bane we don't have all day. C'mon." He urged his companion, wishing they had brought something to carry Azula on. They had been so intent on getting into the palace and getting the timing just right with Aang's distraction that they had neglected to find a safe way to carry the former princess out of her prison. It didn't help that Azula and Bane shared a history. They hadn't seen each other in a long time, and the emotion in the room was suffocating, but they didn't have time for a reunion.

Not now.

With more caution than he had ever seen her use, Navaro stared as Bane precariously lifted Azula to her feet, slinging the woman's good arm over her shoulder. He had never seen the bubbly woman so gentle with anyone, and he had known her for a long time. What prompted her to treat this broken woman like she was invaluable-like she was treasured?

He studied Azula, drinking in her haggard expression, and disheveled appearance. Dried blood crusted against her face, staining her pale skin red. Her hair was matted and stiff with grime and dirt-the long auburn strands tangled together like an intricate web. Her clothes hung limply off her narrow frame making everyone keenly aware of how small she was.

She looked terrible, and her agonized expression didn't tell him anything except they had lingered here too long.

"C'mon 'Zula." Bane murmured.

The former princess sucked in a pained breath. "I can't walk." She rasped, her tone low and gravelly from disuse. If Navaro had to guess-admitting that she couldn't do something was pure undiluted torture. It was a miracle that Azula could even stand though. She was far beyond her physical limit.

"I'll carry you." Bane said decisively, hefting the princess onto her back. She didn't look like she weighed anything so Navaro didn't offer to help. He did wonder why she didn't protest though. According to the rumors Azula was generally a difficult person to handle. Perhaps she was too immersed in staying conscious to worry about her undignified position.

"Let's go." He turned towards the door, striding quickly down the row of cages. They needed to leave now. As they slipped into the hallway, keeping to the shadows he took the lead-being sure to stretch his senses out so no one could take them by surprise. Behind him he heard Bane's footsteps accompanied by Azula's labored breathing. Every movement most likely sent indescribable pain rippling through the princess' body, and they had to move swiftly. After a few minutes of walking purposefully through the darkness Azula's icy voice filtered towards him.

"You're both fools."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxX

Aang withheld a huff of pain as he was bodily slammed into the wall. Zuko's enraged face filled his vision as he held him up by his collar. "What the hell was that Aang?" In light of new events-after Aang's unglamorous announcement—Zuko, Katara, and Sokka decided to retreat to the Palace courtyard to try and glean information from him. He had been expecting that, but the violence underlying Zuko's actions was a surprise. He supposed his anger stemmed from the fact that it took half of Zuko's royal guard to knock him out of the Avatar State. That had been the icing on the cake.

Squirming uncomfortably, he forced himself to remain inert in the FireLord's grasp, burying his instinct to fight back. "That was me withdrawing myself from the Four Nation's treaty." He said matter-a-factly.

Zuko scowled. "I know. I was there Aang. We were all there. Why would you do that? We've worked so hard for peace and you're going to ruin it all."

Katara stepped forward, and Aang's gaze swept past Zuko to focus on her. She placed a calming hand on the infuriated monarch and he relaxed imperceptibly at the light touch. "Zuko try and relax down, let's approach this calmly." She murmured in a tone that was anything but suggestive. Her words were a demand, and by the looks of it Zuko wasn't inclined to indulge her tonight.

"I will not calm down." He all but snarled, his grip tightening on Aang's flesh. There was going to be a bruise there, he thought idly, shifting a bit as he dangled in the air. "You have no idea the lengths we've gone to ensure our homes remain safe. Do you have any idea what the repercussions of your actions are? The Avatar publically _denounced_ us." His fingers twitched against Aang's cold, and clammy skin as if he wanted to choke him right there.

"I'm fully aware of the consequences of my actions-are you aware of the consequences of yours?" Aang asked-finally addressing his friends. He boldly met Zuko's gaze with his own steely glare, goading the Firelord with his obstinacy

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sokka's deep timber surprised them all. The tribesmen separated himself from the shadows, and tentatively walked over to them. They hadn't heard him speak yet, because he needed some time to sober himself. He had stumbled after them into the courtyard drunk, but now that Aang was throwing wild accusations around he seemed oddly coherent.

Aang sighed at their expectant stares.

"It means I don't regret what I've done tonight, but you all should regret your actions. You should have some hint of remorse for the hell you've managed to create in the last five years."

"Excuse me?" Sokka's tone was incredulous, and Aang could feel the others mirroring his reaction. He was not surprised that they deluded themselves like this: They believed they were doing the right thing. They were so blinded by their denial they couldn't even see the lives they had destroyed.

"You heard me." He replied, the first inkling of frustration trickling into his voice. "You said you worked for peace? When did you do that? I must have missed it." He marveled at how snarky his voice sounded. He didn't perform well under pressure, and with everyone staring death at him he wasn't exactly feeling obligated to be kind. The monks taught him to fight violence with stillness. Combat a fist with passive obstinacy. That's what he'd been doing, and as a result thousands had paid in blood and tears.

No more.

Locked in his thoughts, he didn't see the fist coming towards his face. His head whipped back, and he slammed into the ground, his back colliding painfully against the palace concrete. Aang was going to sport a nasty bruise in the morning. He curled his fingers into the palace stone, ignoring the taste of blood in his mouth, and turned to look at his attacker. Firelord Zuko stood over him-panting, his face a mask of unrestrained fury.

"Zuko that was a bit much." Sokka rebuked the monarch, shaking his head.

Dark onyx eyes turned to glare at him, and the tribesmen stared coolly back. "Have you been listening to him? We've changed? We've got something to be sorry for?" His fist was still raw from colliding with Aang's jaw. He rubbed the red knuckles balefully turning his attention back to Aang who kept his face purposefully neutral. "You've changed Avatar. You used to care about peace, and we've worked so hard for it…"

"And I still do." Aang replied earnestly, "I don't care for your methods in installing peace though." He precariously sat up, leaning heavily against a stone pillar behind him. He drew in a shaky breath trying to gather his thoughts. "You keep saying you've worked for peace-When truthfully you've done nothing but butcher in the name of peace. You have spilled blood in every nation. Thousands have died, and you're still not satisfied…Tell me, can you rape someone in the name of love?"

Looks of disgust and horror bled into his friends' expressions. Zuko actually blanched, and his hands clenched into trembling fists. "Of course you can't." He answered Aang's question, unable to keep his voice steady. The Firelord sounded strained all of a sudden.

"What kind of question is that Aang?" Katara asked, shock ruling her expression.

Aang rubbed his abused jaw tiredly. "If you can't rape for love what makes you think you can kill for peace?"

A heavy silence ensued after he spoke.

No one answered him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Azula's breath came in quick shallow pants as they exited the Palace grounds slipping into the Capital's empty streets. Her mind was a source of constant turmoil at this most recent change in events. Ty Lee had freed her from her shackles and whisked her away from her prison. Why? How? To what end? She did not possess the answers to any of these questions. Something huge was going on.

Her most pressing question was: Where were they going, and what price would she have to pay when she got there?

She had nothing offer. She was a poor ally, not only had she been kept out of the loop for years-she was barely able to function on her own. Standing up was an excursion for her. She was not unlike baby: Pathetic, helpless, in need of others to care for her. She could count the number of people that could stomach the task on one hand. She had an exceedingly long list of people who would love to see her dead, and no real reason to be kept alive.

Everything was complicated…

But before she could process a way to coerce her new captors into keeping her alive—

Another more pressing concern was, as far as she could tell, there was no safe place for her to go. The Four Nation's council had a long reach, and there was nowhere to hide. Agni knows where Ty Lee was carting her off to, or as the earthbending boy called her, Bane.

Which led her thoughts tumbling down another avenue: how did Ty Lee come to acquire such a dark nickname? Ever since she had awakened she'd noticed things, mostly about the people she used to know. All of them had changed. Zuko for example had changed from an immature lackluster boy, to an overbearing temperamental man. Ty Lee herself, seemed to have lost some of her naïveté and now bore scars one could only earn from years of hardship and trauma.

Azula wasn't sure what to think of her former friend.

She didn't trust her though.

Or her companion.

"Alright...The General said she'd be waiting at the edge of town. We just have to get there unnoticed." Azula hung limply across the acrobat's shoulders as Ty Lee whispered to her companion.

The boy-Navaro, nodded his gaze slanting over to them. "Hopefully she's in position already."

"She does have a terrible habit of being late to things." Ty Lee chuckled, the motion sending a tremor through her, and Azula bit her lip to hold back a cry. Movement of any sent sharp rivulets of pain coursing through her body. They were already surging swiftly through the darkness, any extra movement only made things worse.

"It won't matter-it's not like we've been noticed yet anyways." Navaro smirked, easily keeping pace with them.

"YOU THERE-HALT-IN THE NAME OF THE FIRELORD."

Azula stiffened at the new voice, and she felt Ty Lee grow rigid beneath her. However, despite the command her former friend neither stopped nor slowed down. She did turn to look at the sheepish earthbender beside her though. "You had to say something didn't you?" She asked flatly, her voice dry and amused.

Unlike the Ty Lee she was familiar with, Bane had a dark sense of humor she could appreciate.

Who knew…

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxX

"It's not the same Aang."

Aang quirked an eyebrow at Sokka, silently daring him to continue-he was going to come up with some insightful logic to make their actions plausible. He had always been intellectually gifted. The tribesman stroked his scrubby beard in thought, most likely trying to formulate a counterargument in his head. "You can't compare rape, and martial law…We made the regulators, and decided to go along with the Purging to protect everyone. It was the safest course of action and we saved so many people. It was an extreme decision but you have to admit we made the world safer. You can't complain about that. Especially when you agreed to it in the first place."

Aang shook his head disbelievingly. He let his cranium fall to rest on the pillar behind him, and stared blankly up at the sky. That was a blatant lie. He was arguably the person with the most verbal dissent against the Purging. He never agreed to it. "No Sokka, I played the Devil's advocate. I said the Purging was a bad idea." He snorted unhappily. "I was overruled by the other 99% of the council."

"Aang-"

"FIRELORD."

At that exact moment a sea of guards rushed into the courtyard, filling the narrow space with a plethora of crimson colors. The three friends blinked, utterly confused at the intrusion. What was going on? Aang glanced away, already guessing what was happening. He had a vague idea of what they were going to say.

"What's wrong?" Zuko's scarred face creased in worry. Very little could prompt this kind of crowd to assemble. It couldn't be anything good.

One of the guards separated himself from the throes of shifting limbs and sparking flames. "Firelord." Anxiousness was written into every line of his face. "A guard went to relieve Maron of his shift, and found him unconscious and the prison gate open. Azula is gone. We've sent out several units to go search for her Milord but so far we haven't gotten any confirmation of her being located." He reported in a rush, and by the time he was finished Zuko was gaping at him.

"What? Azula is missing?" Zuko exclaimed, his fist slamming against a nearby pillar in conjunction with his fury. A portion of the stone shattered beneath his hand, and he stood there his nostril's flaring the picture of regal

Everyone winced at the violent reaction. The guard who had spoken gulped, visibly shaken. "Yes Firelord."

Zuko's onyx eyes blazed. "Find her. I want every able bodied man out and searching for her. She does not leave the Capital." He said, his voice low and threatening.

The guard inclined his head, giving the Fire Nation salute. "It will be done." He said dutifully before turning on his heel and exiting the courtyard. The sea of red parted for him, before slowly trickling out after to him to do as they were commanded. That left Aang alone with two confused friends and one very angry monarch.

Zuko cradled his head, overwhelmed by the emotions assaulting him. "How did this happen?" He murmured.

Aang refused to respond, watching the Firelord's visceral reaction with wary eyes. He would not admit to his part in emancipating Azula. That would condemn him and so many others. Katara had no such reservations though. She stepped closer to Zuko, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hey it's gonna be okay. Your guards will find her, and the trial will proceed. There's nowhere for her to go."

On the contrary Aang knew of once place she could go, he thought ruefully to himself.

"I don't understand-how could she escape in her condition without being noticed." Zuko shook his head, still struggling to comprehend what had occurred over the last several minutes. He turned to Katara, his gaze conflicted and she shook her head. She had no idea how Azula had managed such a feat either. Her words of comfort were doing little to assuage the Fire ruler.

Sokka hummed thoughtfully, his tone curious instead of accusatory. "It is funny how she seemed to escape just as Aang is withdrawing himself from the treaty."

That didn't stop the affect his words had.

Three pairs of eyes shifted to Aang, and he almost flinched.

Sokka was digging his grave.

"I..." He started unsure of how to defend himself against the probing stares. Did they believe him capable of such treachery? Even though he was guilty of undermining Zuko's law, and helping free Azula, if his friends believe him capable of betrayal he was going to undergo interrogation of the worst kind, and deal with unimaginable consequences.

Mercy was a dying practice nowadays…

"The timing was convenient wasn't it?" Zuko drawled, advancing on Aang. Clearly the Firelord had drawn his own conclusions about what Aang had done. None of them were good.

Aang forced himself to remain still.

Running would only make him guilty.

Before Zuko could reach him, Katara stepped between them, blocking the Firelord from his vision. "I'm sure it's just a coincidence. This is Aang we're talking about. He would never help Azula." She snorted, crossing her arms across her chest.

Her words were meant to be reassuring but judging from the silence drifting between them all, Zuko and Sokka remained skeptical. A moment later though, a strangled laugh left Zuko's lips, and a weak smile stretched across the firebender's face. "You're right Katara. I can't imagine Aang helping Azula. I don't know who was stupid enough to free her, but they'll realize their error soon enough. Azula's only skill is in creating enemies."

Aang almost sagged in relief when the spot light was taken off him, but frowned at Zuko's words.

He sincerely hoped Azula practiced other skills.

Lady Grey was a formidable enemy.

She wouldn't tolerate anyone endangering Safe Haven.

He shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the situation at hand. Zuko was frowning again, which usually meant something bad was about to be decided. "We're going to find her, and whoever's helping her, and I will see them all punished accordingly. I won't have anyone ruining what we've worked so hard to create."

Aang shuddered.

Yes, because who would want to destroy this utopia?

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Azula blinked as the shadows following them increased in number. Very soon they were going to be flanked, surrounded, and cornered. As much as it irked her to admit it, she might be dragged back to that disgusting six by six to rot until her brother executed her. The idea had absolutely no appeal to her.

Now that she had a taste of freedom she wanted to relish it.

Over the last few weeks she had come to terms with her inevitable death, but now there was a chance she could live, and she wanted that option. Zuko had no right to take that from her, no matter her crime, no matter whose life she was guilty of destroying. If he wanted the title of kinslayer he was welcome to kill Ozai, but she would not sit demurely by while he schemed to end her.

Never again would she be under someone's thumb like that.

She was tired of other people playing god to her.

She bowed to no one.

She owed her life to no one.

She owed her _death_ to no one either.

"Hold on Azula." Ty Lee murmured tightening her grasp on Azula's legs so she wouldn't fall. The acrobat agilely leapt up onto a roof skidding across the wooden tile before lunging back into a sprint, her gaze fixed ahead towards the edge of the city.

They were still a good distance from the gate. She had no idea how they planned to make it out of the city. It was going to be a longshot. Next to them Navaro ran, his steps even with Ty Lee's. Every couple of seconds his gaze slid behind them towards the rapidly approaching guards.

"Bane, Look out!"

Navaro's startling cry roused Ty Lee into action. From the side a long stream of fire jetted towards them threatening to engulf them. The acrobat ducked beneath the roaring flames and lunged off the roof, flipping in the air while keeping a firm grasp on Azula. The former princess winced at the heat, even as the flames licked the air around them. Ty Lee landed deftly on both feet her eyes wide.

They had landed in a narrow sidestreet.

It was perpendicular to another street which meant there were three different directions to walk in: Straightforward, to the right, and to the left, a wall blocked off the other ways. Carefully Ty Lee deposited Azula on the ground, propping her up against the wall behind her. "Don't move."

Silently Navaro dropped into the space next to her, his eyes flicking around. "We're surrounded."

Her amber eyes searching the darkness, Azula could see the truth in his words. On the wall above her, Fire nation soldiers perched on the roof glaring at the miscreants below, and trickling in from all three directions were more people donned in armor to come capture them.

This was bad…

Standing protectively in front of her Ty Lee and Navaro slid into stances. It was surreal to see them bereft of fear ready to take on trained soldiers just too escort her safely out of this city.

They were touched in the head.

"I'll take the ones on the left?" Navaro offered, treating this situation like it was game.

"Go for it." Ty Lee smirked, amused by the challenge.

Then all hell broke loose.

Azula watched as a tidal wave of fire enveloped them from all directions. The soldiers attacked as a unit-using typical scorch tactics. Navaro's earthbound stance never faltered though, and his fist abruptly slid up and Azula blinked as a dome of earth erupted from the ground, shielding them from the flames. The fire fanned out against the wall of dirt, trying to penetrate it but unable to break through.

"You ready?" Navaro said breathlessly, quirking a brow at Ty Lee.

She nodded, and without any further comments he whirled, flying into a spin kick. A section of the wall broke away, and was sent careening towards a group of soldiers to the left. Ty Lee chuckled as the firebender's were seemingly flattened, and began to go to work herself. Harnessing her speed and flexibility she flew out of the jagged opening Navaro left for her.

Azula from her position on the ground could hear the quiet thud of bodies hitting the ground as Ty Lee temporarily crippled them.

She couldn't see past the earth dome though.

Navaro had leapt out of the opening after Ty Lee, and with his earthbending he slowly began wiping away the wave of firebenders threatening to overwhelm him. With each progressing minute, Azula watched as sections of the dome were sent rocketing towards unsuspecting soldiers, systematically crushing them.

The boy clearly had no reservations about fighting.

A loud, sickening crack echoed in the narrow space as Navaro blocked a stream of fire that would have burned his face beyond recognition, and with careful precise movements slammed a pillar of earth into the soldier's unguarded midsection. The crimson armored body hovered in the air for a second before a large boulder, torn from the earth below the paved stone floor buried him into a large man shaped crater.

Azula stared blankly as he screamed in pain.

That looked painful…

"Azula LOOK OUT!"

Ty Lee's panicked scream made her look up.

Poised directly in front of her a Fire Nation soldier was already in motion fire erupting from his fingertips to burn her alive. Azula urged her abused limbs to move, even as the fire surged forward licking her face. Too battered to move, and too exhausted to summon her own blue flame to guard her, she closed her eyes accepting the heat pounding against her mangled flesh. Apparently, she wasn't meant to taste freedom again.

Ah well…

She waited for the inevitable.

Life's crimson liquid splattered against her face, painting over the dried blood already crusted there.

Azula slowly peeled open her eyes wondering why she was still alive and why her face was wet?

"….Ty Lee." She murmured, her eyes widening imperceptibly.

A resigned grin dominating her scarred face, Ty Lee fell to her knees in front of Azula, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. The former princess couldn't see the damage the flames had done, but smoke circled from her friend's back swirling into the waning darkness, and wafting in the sky. She swallowed heavily, disbelief robbing her of words. Her world spun nauseatingly.

What had Ty Lee done?

The former acrobat shuddered, and heavy coughs racked her frame. Azula watched in awe, and horror as droplets of blood escaped her lips at each cough, staining the ground red. Were her lungs or organs damaged? She couldn't tell.

"Sorry 'Zula." Ty Lee whispered, her eyes unnaturally bright. "I was supposed to protect you better."

Azula's jaw clenched, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Everything coming to mind was snide or sarcastic, and for the life of her she didn't understand why she couldn't be rude right now. Under normal circumstances being cold didn't bother her. She derived pleasure from making people miserable, but she right now she just…couldn't…The cruelty she thrived on refused to manifest.

Ty Lee almost as if she could read her thoughts, smiled, and reached out with one trembling hand to caress her face.

Azula started at the unwelcome touch but didn't pull away her eyes fixed on Ty Lee, even as she watched the last vestiges of life drain from her. The former acrobat convulsed once another terrible coughing fit making her shoulder's shake.

In the background Azula was dimly aware of Navaro renewing his struggles with vigor, his every move fueled by rage. The soldier that struck Ty Lee down was promptly enveloped in a cocoon of Earth, and dragged beneath the earth's surface. Navaro had made him his own dirt coffin. Azula saw this out of her peripherals but her sole focus was on Ty Lee. Her former friend's scarred face tightened in pain, and she shifted feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

What was she supposed to do in this situation?

Ty Lee made the decision for her. The bubbly girl that always had a smile on her face leaned in, and her lips gently brushed against Azulas. The kiss was chaste, no longer than a second or so, but as soon as their lips connected-Ty Lee collapsed. Azula's eyes widened in shock as the acrobat crumpled against the ground, blood pooling beneath her.

"Ty…"

Emotions of all kinds assaulted her. She was angry that Ty Lee was so presumptuous, and dared to take such liberties with her person. She was even more enraged that Ty Lee had taken a hit that was meant to kill her.

But what truly infuriated her-what set her teeth on edge, and made her teeter on the edge of verbal obscurity was that Ty Lee was dying for her and she didn't know why. She couldn't articulate the feelings of dread and irrational anger pricking at her consciousness.

Was the acrobat so pretentious she thought her death mattered?

It didn't.

Azula didn't care.

Ty Lee was just one person in a long series of people that ended up leaving or dying. It was a vicious cycle that Azula had learned to accept with practiced apathy, but somewhere in the darkest recesses of her mind: The betrayal she felt at being abandoned was staggering.

Her former friend took one last strangled breath, her hazel eyes meeting Azula's stunned amber ones. "You were my princess 'Zula…no one can take what's yours by birth."

Ty Lee smiled.

Then she lay still.

"BANE." Navaro's outraged cry echoed in the narrow side street. He sounded like a wounded animal. Grief colored his tone, and with a loud tormented sound a tidal wave of stone blew the surrounding soldiers back several yards. The young earthbender didn't wait for them to recover- he bolted towards Azula, his feet eating up the distance between them. He slid to a stop in front of Ty Lee, who had collapsed an armslength from her and bit his lip sorrow draining any other emotion from his face. "Bane…"

_She's gone._

Tears pricked the boy's eyes.

_She's never coming back._

He bit his bottom lip stubbornly.

_Tears are for weak children._

Azula had none left to shed.

She watched as the teen gathered himself, wiping away the tears burning at the edge of his vision. He stared at Ty Lee a moment longer, and Azula could practically see a resolve forming beneath his mournful actions. His grief-stricken gaze locked with hers, and he quietly walked over to her, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and dragging her to her feet.

"We need to get you to the General." He said, his voice rough with emotion.

The remaining soldiers barely gave the time to breath. They closed in on them and the boy shook his head. "Not this time." He murmured. With a casual flick of his hand the ground beneath them shifted, writhing like a snake before giving away completely. A mound of earth collapsed, drawing them underground. Azula jolted in his arms as the Earth swallowed up the waning moonlight replacing it with only darkness, and the narrow opening Navaro had plunged into closed over them, hiding them from the protesting soldiers.

They were deep underground now.

Precariously, in the same cautious manner Ty Lee had Navaro placed her gently on the ground, letting her recline against the dirt wall. Her eyes were having trouble adjusting in the darkness blanketing the hallowed cavern. She couldn't even see the boy who had dragged her here.

Is this what being blind felt like? If so, it was a terrible feeling. She stretched out her senses annoyance creeping across her face. She couldn't tell if Navaro was still here.

For all she knew he had left her here to rot.

She disregarded the thought after a moment, because she hadn't heard him leave.

Unable to rely on her sight she focused on listening. In the quiet she heard tapping. First it was soft, but then it rose and fell in tenor, each tap a different pitch in a series of cacophonic noises.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, her voice harsh as it shattered the symphony.

Navaro paused, and she imagined him tilting his head, incredulity ruling his expression. "This is called Shindoku. It's method of communication the General developed. We tap on the Earth, and each resounding noise is a different word. If she or anyone else that has mastered the language hears it, they'll come." He explained quietly.

"Right." She muttered shifting to accommodate the pain in her limbs. Normally she would marvel at the ingenious idea but today it didn't matter. Shindoku's worth paled in comparison to everything else she had learned and seen in the last 24 hours. She closed her eyes tiredly.

"Do you care?" Navaro's voice tentatively broke the quiet again and the tapping stopped completely.

"I don't know what you're referring to, but the answer is most likely no." Azula said icily, not even bothering to open her eyes.

"Your friend just died...Do you care?" He clarified himself.

Azula still remained on the ground, lounging like a jungle cat at rest. She didn't acknowledge his question, and he didn't dare ask her again. An uneasy silence developed between them while Azula ruminated about Ty Lee. The overly cheerful woman had been a constant in her life. The acrobat was always elated, always obscenely happy no matter what was happening.

Azula remembered meeting her as a child.

She recalled punching her in the face after a particularly painful session with Ozai, in which Azula endured her father's implacable stare for over an hour, and than stifled tears of pain as a hailstorm of blows rained over her tiny eight year old frame. He gave her her first assortment of scars that day to instill her with one lesson:

"_Life is suffering Azula. Remember that."_

Her father's words ghosted over her mind-stilling her tumultuous thoughts. The lesson was engraved on her body, reigning over her rage. Suffering was absolute. Ty Lee had accepted the bitter anger directed at her that day with a calm inviting smile. She then declared she wanted to be Azula's friend, and had insisted they remain in each others company.

The memory melted away, but not before Azula's subconscious taunted her with Ty Lee's vibrant face, the smallest traces of a smile quirking the acrobat's lips. Seeing the woman, brown hair haloing her face, eyes hooded in undisguised mirth almost unhinged her. The disillusioned image was more than she could bear at the moment and brokered a dark almost bestial snarl to erupt from her mouth. The sound was only audible to her ears though, as Navaro was completely engrossed in something else. After an indiscernible amount of time had passed she finally deigned to break the quiet between them.

"No I don't." She answered coldly no inflection in her tone.

He had asked if she cared about Ty Lee's death? The answer was simple:

Azula didn't care about anything.

Or anyone.

It was a familiar mantra that had governed her entire lifestyle. It had carried her up until the war-it would guard her through this new Era too.

At her callous response he sucked in a surprise gasp of air, but didn't say anything further. No other words were exchanged between them and Azula felt herself nodding off in the dark condensed space. A numbness embraced her seeping into every recess and hidden crevice of her being-like the wind whispering over the trees, caressing the leaves with it's gentle power but never denying it's capacity for destruction. Azula welcomed the feeling.

She was exhausted.

Perhaps her dreams could act as a balm to her fractured mind, but before she could lose herself to sleep, heavy footsteps echoed in the narrow cavern, and her eyelids fluttered open as she roused to full alertness. Someone was approaching. Next to her Navaro shifted, his clothes rustling as he rose to his feet-presumably he knew the arrival because there was no hostility in the air.. "General." He greeted, his voice echoing in the dirt passage.

Azula tried to peer into the darkness to see who he was addressing but no light pierced through the dark vortex encompassing the cavern. She was still blind.

"Navaro." A husky feminine voice greeted the boy.

For some reason the voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't place where she'd heard it before.

"I have Azula…we lost Bane though." Navaro reported in the same way grunt soldiers report to their commander, or to their superior. Was the General truly just that-a general? Or was she someone of a higher status? Azula felt frustration welling up in her chest. She was sick of not understanding things. Before her coma she had understood her place in the world, and where everyone else stood too.

Now everything was lost in lies, intrigue and subterfuge.

It was utterly ridiculous.

A string of obscenities streamed from the General's mouth, some more colorful than others. "Damn them…"

Azula seconded that notion.

She was nursing a newfound hatred for her brother, and his friends. She had no doubt he had issued a-bring her back Dead or Alive order that had resulted in Ty Lee's death. She reasoned she wasn't terribly bothered by the acrobat's untimely despise-she was incensed that Zuko had eliminated a potential ally. Ty Lee was reliable and would have been useful.

"Alright, well, we can't sit here and stew over spilled oka beans. Let's go home and tell the Lady about this." The General murmured rationally. Her voice was a tad deeper, dipping in anger at the news.

Azula blinked as hard callous hands lifted her up again. They moved her with the same gentleness that Ty Lee and Navaro exhibited time and time again, but this time they belonged to someone else.

She couldn't understand where such unnecessary kindness was coming from.

What was wrong with these people?

Their sincerity left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"_You were my princess 'Zula…no one can take what's yours by birth."_

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**And that's the end of the chapter. What do you all think? Thoughts? Comments? And yes there was some Tyzula I'm a sucker for unrequited love. Sadly, Azula never returned those feelings and Ty Lee is now dead :o**

**Sorry this one took longer. I celebrated my birthday and then got sick immediately after. Then when I actually finished the chapter my internet decided to die on me, sooooooo it was a tad delayed. The next one will probably be up when I'm not feeling horrible anymore….or it will happen if I get bored enough and can't sleep. Thinks get…more shifty from here on out and I'm thinking I might have to bump the rating up. This chapter alone might have crossed the T line x.x **

**Next chappie goes into Ty Lee's death and pokes at the people still alive and causing trouble xD**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hehe Hello my lovelies…I'm still inspired to write so I decided to chuck out another chapter :3**

**And to answer some reviews:**

**Toxiclynne-Thank you xD I've been working hard to keep Azula in character as much as possible because everyone else has had time to change over the last ten years or so but she's been in a coma…frozen in time. As for Aang letting the purging happen…Imagine you were given a red button and someone told you that you could save ten of your closest friends if you pressed the button but by pressing the button you'd kill at least 100 people you didn't know. It's a lose-lose situation because either way someone gets hurt and that's how Aang feels. He doesn't want anyone to get hurt so he's playing the fence…and I can't say much about your guesses because if I give you an answer that's gonna unveil more of the plot than I'm comfortable with, and I promise I will trump last chapter eventually. It's only a matter of time.**

**BlueLion: Yes, the next few chapters after this one are gonna be devoted to Ty Lee's character development, as well as looking at how the other characters became what they are today…and I'd love to take full credit for that quote but I read it for the first time in a piece on here by Princess Alexandria. Her work is incredible :3**

**Arcus Iris: Yes Azula and Toph are very strong so putting them together should be interesting xD**

**Anddddd that's it.**

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**Read and Enjoy people~**

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"Welcome Princess."

Lady Grey's gravelly voice washed over Azula, soothing her and at the same time irritating her. She wasn't sure what her emotional status was at the moment-especially where the masked monarch was concerned. Upon arriving to the underground kingdom: Safe Haven as it was called, Azula was introduced to an entirely new world. She was shocked at the vast buildings, the exotic shops, and the genuinely honest people. Ever since her impromptu arrival, she was dealt with offhandishly. No one treated her like the ignominious traitor, but they didn't welcome her either.

They regarded her silently as she was dragged through the streets, but no one rebuked her presence. No one declared her evil and demanded her death even though she was positive some of these people were victims of her treachery. On the contrary, she was led to the nearest healer and instructed to bathe until they could see her natural skin color again, and then forced to remain compliant until her wounds were tended to.

Navaro and the General shadowed her, never leaving her alone for any extended amount of time. They were either protecting her, or protecting anyone foolish enough to remain in her presence alone.

Their intentions were still unclear.

It was not reassuring when she finally remembered who the General was: The Avatar's earthbending teacher. The little stripling of a blind girl had grown into someone fairly dangerous. Azula could see it in the way she held herself; arrogantly, invulnerably. She walked like a woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders, but smiled like one who embraced the burden. The changes didn't cease at her attitude either. Gone was the ephemeral peasant outfit the earthbender used to wear. Gone was the short cropped hair that completed her heathenish look. Instead, the blind earthbender now possessed a more regal appearance, one that was complemented nicely by the were-jaguar at her side.

Azula wasn't thrilled to see the large hulking beast trailing after her either. She wasn't even aware were-jaguars still existed.

Recalling the Avatar's earthbending teacher did little to assuage her suspicions. It didn't add to her peace of mind- for her it only cemented the fact that something insidious was afoot.

She was brought here for a reason.

She couldn't discern what that reason was because she lacked so much pertinent information. Why were the Four Nations so incredibly dangerous? What drove them to these ends? What was the Purging? What caused the divide between the Avatar's earthbender and the other members of their little group? Why was Ty Lee working with the blind girl and this masked woman? How did they build this underground kingdom? What were their goals? What did they want with her?

A maelstrom of questions raced through her mind, but she had no one to voice them too. She didn't trust anyone.

However, despite her paranoia and the contempt she had for the people around her the fact remained that her ignorance was dangerous.

The blind earthbender had reassured her as her wounds were being bandaged that she wasn't a prisoner-saying simply that; The masked woman-the one the people had affectionately dubbed Lady Grey wished to speak with her and after that she could do whatever she wanted.

Azula all but scoffed at her. She knew her escape came at a price.

Despite the unsavory show of generosity she had been graced with-everyone required compensation. Nothing was ever given freely. Most things had to be bargained for or taken.

So here she was, dressed in silk, bathed, scrubbed, and fed staring at the masked monarch of Safe Haven. She was prepared to bargain. Her life, after all came at a hefty price.

Unbidden, one of her last conversations with Navaro shifted to the forefront of her mind-taunting her.

"_Do you care?" Navaro's voice tentatively broke the quiet again and the tapping stopped completely._

"_I don't know what you're referring to, but the answer is most likely no." Azula said icily, not even bothering to open her eyes._

"_Your friend just died...Do you care?" He clarified himself._

She scowled at the image, burying it to unearth at a later date. She didn't have the time or the inclination to be bogged down by emotional turmoil. She refused to let death have that kind of control over her. She had to focus on what she could do now with the life she was struggling to hold onto. Her amber gaze focused on the masked woman in front of her, shifting from her to the blind earth bender beside her. She purposely ignored the were-jaguars curled at their feet, because they would just distract her from her task.

Right now they had the advantage.

If she could figure out what they wanted, she would have something work with.

"I'm no longer a princess. Address me by name: It's Azula…just Azula." She corrected the Lady forcefully, wincing at how rustic her voice sounded. She had not held a true conversation in ages. Her verbal skills were severely lacking.

The masked woman inclined her head. "Very well, Azula. Firstly I'd like to welcome you to Safe Haven. You are a guest here, and will be treated with the utmost courtesy. You can leave anytime you wish, but know this is the safest place for you. If you go back to the surface you will be hunted down. I don't know if we will be able to stop Zuko from killing you a second time."

Azula arched one slender eyebrow. "I'm not even sure why you bothered liberating me from that cell the first time. I hear that was your doing?" She asked slyly, her question coming out as more of a statement.

"I played a small part in that. I did want your life to be spared." The masked woman artfully dodged the real question, making Azula frown.

"Why?" She demanded, her temper flaring dangerously. She was used to slippery politicians but finding one in an underground kingdom? Leagues below the surface? What were the odds? Her displeasure showed visibly on her face. She didn't feel like relying on practiced apathy at the moment. She wanted answers.

"You meant a great deal to Ty Lee, and you mean a great deal to me as well." Lady Grey said, purposefully being difficult. She circumvented a real answer and gave Azula the vaguest reply possible.

With non-descript responses like that Azula would never pry the truth from her, and every word she _chose_ to say was alien to her. Azula never understood people who expressly admitted to their feelings. She meant a lot to Lady Grey? The idea was ludicrous: A vain hope at worst, a pitiful lie at best. Azula didn't form friendships. She built mutual hate-hate relationships with people.

This woman-whoever she was, was no exception.

"And who are you?" She deadpanned, shaking her head.

She didn't truly expect an answer because clearly the masked woman wanted her identity to remain a secret. A muffled chuckled erupted from behind the cloth, and Azula's eyes narrowed at the laughing woman. "Perhaps one day I'll tell you." The masked woman compromised, and the faintest hint of a smirk made the mask crease in correlation with her lips.

That did not help at all.

This conversation served no purpose except to aggravate her.

Sick of this game she fixed the masked monarch with a scalding glare. "What do you want from me?"

Stormy eyes locked with hers, and the masked woman gentled her tone. "I want to help you."

The familiar phrase made her stiffen. Ty Lee's lifeless hazel eyes came to mind and a bitter smile tugged at Azula's lips. "The last person to say those words to me lies dead on the Capital's cobblestone streets. Believe me, when I tell you I don't want your help."

Her harsh words were met with calm acceptance. Lady Grey didn't even have the decency to flinch. "Bane's loss will be felt for years to come Azula, but that doesn't change what I'm telling you now. We're going to help you back to full health, and tell you everything you need to know about surviving in this era. Bane wanted you to live. It was one of her last wishes, and I will oblige her…"

"You'll tell me anything?" Azula ignored everything else she said, focusing on the bit that would benefit her the most. Learning more about the time she had been in a coma would equal the playing field for her. Knowledge was power.

"Anything within reason." Lady Grey acquiesced dipping her head.

Azula studied the pair before her searching for any trace of deceit. Under her intense scrutiny only guileless conviction stood out among emotions dominating the duo's faces. Such empty feelings were deceptive. They would have to do though. She'll talk false pretenses and foolish idealism over being woefully uninformed. Sifting through her thoughts, Azula picked the most obvious event that needed explaining, her molten gaze sharpening. "What's the Purging? And why did it occur?"

"The Purging-"Lady Grey intoned, her voice pondering and low like she was starting a long monologue.

"Don't answer that." The blind earthbender abruptly cut her off.

The masked woman turned towards her companion, an unasked question in her gaze. Azula's temper boiled over, blue sparks trailing to her fingertips. Unlike Lady Grey her stare wasn't a query. It was poisonous, and if the earthbender hadn't been blind it would have pierced her with clarity, and all the lethalness of a sword.

"Why are you interfering? Stay out of this." She advised the blind woman coldly.

"You have no idea what you're asking. You aren't ready to hear that answer Azula…" The earthbender remained unmoved by the malice in her words, and almost appeared bored by her entirely. The blind woman was infuriating in the same way all her companions were. Even more so because she presumed to know what Azula was ready for. Indignation warred with fury, and Azula's hands clenched into trembling fists.

"_Tell me."_ She hissed, refusing to let this matter drop. Her emotions were frayed, as battered and abused as her body, and she felt her control over herself slipping. It was like she was sliding on a steep slope, unable to control how fast she descended or how hard she impacted against the ground.

"I see no reason to keep this from her." Lady Grey said quietly, fixing her companion with a peculiar look.

Unaffected by their annoyed looks the blind woman's milky gaze stared in Azula's direction, the timeless knowledge hidden in those pale green pools was an unwelcome reminder of how little power she had here. Azula sat clothed in new silk, her pale skin gleaming after her first bath in years, but that didn't hide the effect being imprisoned had on her body. Every bone was still visible, every wound still curved jaggedly into her flesh, a stark contrast to the flawless perfection it was before.

All of these inadequacies reflected her. She was scarred, broken, and right now she was out of her league, with no way to level the playing field.

The knowledge burdened her, ravaged her, and left her aching for her former glory. In the old days she would have these woman shaking like sheep laid out for the ravenous wolves to feed on. Now they just stood staring, their gaze measuring as she seethed in her seat because her legs were too weak to support her.

"Are you another hypocrite? Another piece of common filth meant to stifle me?" Azula sneered at the earthbender, using words as her primary assault. "Zuzu tried the same tactic. He'd preach about how reformed he is, and then he'd tell me what I deserved in graphic detail. Are you doing the same thing? It was my understanding I could ask anything. Apparently that's not the case. Do you fools always promise things you have no intention of delivering?" Her words were like daggers, meant to skewer the women in front of her. Her smile held the same inherent cruelty that possessed her before the war.

"Toph…" The masked woman finally addressed her companion by name, exasperation coloring her tone, and the name sparked immediate recognition in her.

Toph Bei Fong: That was the General's name- The unknown child of the reputable Bei Fongs-of course.

The blind earthbender shook her head, a mask of indifference settling over her features. Instead of acknowledging the heavy reprimand in Lady Grey's tone, she stared heatedly in Azula's direction. "How much loss can you take in one day princess?"

The question was asked bluntly, and Azula's eyes narrowed, her mind already wandering to derive the meaning behind the earthbender's words. Loss? The word itself was empty and worthless. It didn't affect her in one way or another. Her amber gaze flickered, staring at the earthbender intently.

"I have nothing left to lose." She said-her voice lacking its usual ice.

"You're an idiot." Toph said quietly, her hand reaching down to caress the were-jaguar at her side. The beast rumbled in contentment, gently prodding the earthbender's rough fingers with his nose, insisting to be touched. "The origins of the Purging are seeped in death- Namely the deaths of Suki the Kyoshi warrior… and Mai."

A roaring filled Azula's ears, and despair's cold icy fingers curled in her stomach. She couldn't breathe for second. Ty Lee's murder was still fresh in her mind, and now Mai—Mai was dead too. Her sanity had been hanging on by a danerously thin thread since her awakening. She remembered the first two years of being imprisoned-she had cursed everyone until her throat bled and her voice was raw. After waking up from her coma clarity had pierced through the thick fog settling over her mind, and she had returned to old habits to suvive.

Now she felt herself spiraling back down into the abyss.

Everything she worked so hard to maintain shattered in an instant, and her world just like her heart went black.

She would not wake for some time.

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"Has there been any word?" Zuko asked, a frightening calm lacing over his scarred features. He couldn't believe how inept his regulators were. They hadn't found any trace of his sister in the last three days since her disappearance. They had no idea who freed her, and the only person they managed to link to her escape was Ty Lee. He shivered, remembering the acrobat's lifeless hazel eyes as she bled out into the street. He couldn't believe it when his guards arrived saying they found the chi manipulator's corpse. Ty Lee had disappeared without a word a year after Azula fell into her coma.

They had not heard from her since.

Until now.

"No word Firelord, we have cleansed her blood from the streets but we haven't found any evidence of who might have helped her liberate Azula. Although judging from the damage to the streets and the walls, an earthbender was present."

Zuko nodded slowly. That was disappointing, but he had expected as much. He was going to have to approach this a different way. "Alright you're dismissed."

Immediately the guard turned to leave anxious to remove himself from the FireLord's presence. Before he could exit the throne room entirely though Zuko's voice forced him to pause, and he did so with great reluctance. Turning once again to face the monarch he wiped his face of all emotion, playing the part of a dutiful soldier. "Yes FireLord."

"On your way out I want you find my uncle and tell him I wish to speak with him, and tell one of the lesser servants to bring The Southern Water tribe representatives to the throne room."

The guard blinked in confusion behind the lip of his helmet. He clearly wanted to ask why these people needed summoning, but he contained himself. Asking would be detrimental to his health. Questioning the Firelord is not an intelligent idea. Zuko watched with narrowed eyes as the guard bit his tongue, bowing stiffly. "Yes, Firelord."

With new purpose in his steps, the Fire Nation soldier swiftly left the throne room leaving Zuko alone with his thoughts. It was a dreadful place to be, because no matter how long he contemplated and agonized over an answer to his problem he still came up short and wanting.

He was truly at a loss of how to handle his sister. The Four Nation's council had assembled to decide her fate but Azula, defiant and disgustingly uncouth as always—managed to stage an escape that shouldn't have been possible. She was in no condition to move on her own, he had seen to that, and even with only Ty Lee's help she shouldn't have even made it out of the palace.

Someone was helping them.

The guard's preemptive report told him as much.

Identifying the conspirator as an earthbender told him nothing though. There were millions of earthbenders residing in the Four Nations. He couldn't punish them all-as much as it irked him to admit it. It was galling how little he could do right now. He was the Firelord for Agni's sake, no problem should be beyond his ability-No issue beyond his grasp. He couldn't rectify a situation when he had no facts to work with though. He had nothing concrete to punish anyone with- and he had nothing useful to track Azula's location-which is why he so desperately needed his uncle's advice.

Following the bitter culmination of the war, and the unprecedented death of his wife Iroh had served as an invaluable source of comfort. He had consoled him, and advised him when all else failed, and all other words fell on deaf ears. Because there was no one on Earth Zuko trusted, or respected more-he had made Iroh a general in the aftermath of the war, when everything was falling apart.

His uncle accepted the change in station humbly, and went out of his way to do as Zuko asked to alleviate some of the stress off his favored nephew.

On the Eve of Purging, Iroh amassed an army of fire, earth, and waterbenders, and labeled them the regulators. They were an elite group of benders that promised judgment to everyone that endangered the Four Nations. They uprooted every bad seed that would corrupt, and eventually destroy their people.

Zuko depended on him then to help ease his burden, and now, once again he needed his advice, and perhaps his help.

Speak of the devil…

"Uncle!" He exclaimed rising from his seat as Iroh entered the throne room. Over the years the old man had aged significantly, his hair going white with age and worry, and his face expanding with new more defined wrinkles. Despite how old he looked, he still had that familiar twinkle in his eye, and a smile quirking his lips.

It was a melancholic sight.

"Zuko, my favorite nephew-you called?" Iroh groused, striding towards the throne. Zuko walked quickly down the steps, shivering as his poorly covered feet made contact with the cold floor. Smiling widely he met his uncle halfway, clasping forearms with him affectionately.

"I did I need your help Uncle." He released him after a moment and his hand waved to the centre of the room where he had a table set up earlier that day. He had anticipated this discussion as well as several others and had prepared accordingly. Walking together they ambled over to the table, and slid into seats opposite from each other. Zuko settled onto his futon, crossing his legs Indian style beneath him.

Iroh settled heavily onto his knees directly across from him, his hands resting in his lap. "I'm going to assume this is about your sister." He said quietly, his tone unusually serious.

Zuko nodded, his face pinching in annoyance. "I don't know what to do about her. I have no idea where she is, or with who."

"Well Azula always has been resourceful." Iroh remarked dryly.

"But not like this." He ran a hand through his auburn stresses, his voice lowering in frustration. "She has no contacts anymore-no one who wants her alive-who could have done this?"

"That's what we must find out. Someone wants Azula in the flesh and breathing. If you find out who…you'll find her."

"Easier said than done." Zuko grunted, shaking his head.

He didn't know where to begin searching. He could uproot every place she would most likely go and he still might not find her. Unearthing entire districts was an extreme measure he wasn't sure he was willing to institute just yet. If Iroh didn't give him a more diplomatic solution that's what he was going to have to do though.

"Why don't we do this then: You do some research- Make of list of anyone that Azula had dealings with and question them. Maybe one of them sympathized and decided to help her. In the meantime I'll take the regulators out and start a comprehensive search for your sister. We'll overturn every rock and search in every hole. One of us is bound to turn up something."

Zuko blinked, absorbing his words. He could found no fault with his uncle's logic. With both of them searching mechanically through the nations, and through Azula's connections- they had to discover something.

"Alright let's do it." Zuko chuckled, relieved they had a plan of action. He had been stressing over what to do for hours and turned up blank. With Iroh's insight he was actually able to accomplish something.

They might still turn the tides.

"And one more thing Zuko, what are you going to do with Ty Lee?"

Zuko frowned his features hardening. He had been ruminating over what to do with the acrobat on his downtime while he wasn't deliberating over his sister. On the one hand she was a childhood friend and a respected part of Fire Nation nobility, on the other hand she was _Azula's_ friend first and foremost and a traitor to the Nation. He still had not forgiven her for the last words she said to him before disappearing, and disliked her even more now that he knew she was instrumental to Azula's escape.

She didn't deserve to be buried the traditional way.

"We're going to publically announce her treachery, and then discard her corpse in the wasteland beyond the Fire Nation borders for the carrions to feed on." He said coldly.

Iroh opened his mouth as if to say something, than shut it abruptly, a strained expression crossing over his face. "As you wish Firelord." He murmured resignedly.

Exactly.

The world was at his feet.

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_The Next Day_

Azula stirred, her eyes fluttering open and closed. She was painfully aware of how stiff her limbs were, and the suddenness of being drawn into the waking world was like being doused by cold water. As she became more coherent, her gaze flicked around the room perusing her surroundings. She had been moved to a different room this time. It was sparse, almost bare.

There was a table, laden with food of all kinds.

She saw fruit, and some kind of spiced meat as well as a plethora of green vegetables. Most of them were Earth Nation delicacies but she could detect a hint of Fire Nation seasoning-the scent made her stomach twinge uncomfortably. She hadn't eaten since she arrived, and found herself licking her lips as she stared at the plate. Adjacent to the food, a large stack of books towered at the edge of the table, most of them were oddly ridged with unusual sharp edges. She couldn't read the titles from her position on the Futon.

As far as she could discern she was by herself.

The masked monarch, and that earthbender filth was nowhere in sight.

Good...

She exhaled-a soft puff of air escaping her lips, and stared at her trembling hands.

_Stop it. _

She rebuked her weakness trying to steady herself.

Her hands wouldn't stop shaking.

Mai was gone. Ty Lee was gone.

Of the unstoppable trio-she was the only one left. Everyone else was dead. It was a sobering thought, one that left her feeling cold, and helpless in her mortality. Her world was collapsing around her again. Mai-dead. Ty Lee-dead. Her name was lost to her. Her title. Her birthright. Zuko's stupidity, and that of his friends had cost her everything. A strangled sound escaped her throat and for the first time since her awakening she felt her chi swarming through her, burning a fiery trail just beneath her skin.

"_You were my princess 'Zula…no one can take what's yours by birth."_

Her shoulders shook, and her eyes bright with tears she would never shed, darted around the room. Her pulse pounded in her ears, taunting her with her racing heartbeat that should have stopped years ago. Adrenaline laced through her limbs, filling them with the urge to move. To destroy. She burned with indignation, with grief, and with barely controlled rage. Everything else needed to be set ablaze to burn with her.

She stood up rigidly, ignoring the violent way her legs protested at the movement. Her knees almost buckled.

She didn't care.

Unbidden, the familiar blue flame erupted from her fingertips, and she unleashed her fury on everything-and on nothing. The azure flame slammed against the table, and the flimsy piece of wood was sent careening towards the stone walls. It exploded in a fiery show of sparks, pieces of singed paper flaking to the ground from the books her flame had consumed.

Azula's amber eyes shined, and she grimly pointed two fingers at the sturdy walls containing her. Focusing her chi, she channeled all her anger, all the feelings of injustice and all of the grief tormenting her, to one central point. Lightning crackled around her hand, and a stream of jagged blue shot from her fingertips, zig zagging before slicing through the stone with eerie precision.

A large gaping hole was left by her attack, and small pieces of stone crumbled to the ground.

Azula panted heavily-sweat beading down her forehead.

Even though the room was in shambles, and even though she was delighted her bending was still intact-she felt no better.

She smiled listlessly, leaning heavily on one leg.

In fact-she was now keenly aware of the emptiness devouring her, and how no matter how hard she resisted no matter how hard she fought against gravity, she kept falling. Endlessly. Piteously. She had fallen off the edge years ago, she had taken the plunge knowingly. She didn't regret it. There was no room for regrets in her life.

The only thing she despised was how long it was taking to impact.

It wasn't the fall that was going to kill her.

It was when she finally hit the ground, and she hadn't reached that point yet.

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_Five before Azula woke up…_

"I had forgotten about Mai."

Toph snorted, shaking her head ruefully at the masked monarch. "It's no big deal. Mai wasn't like Ty Lee. You had no prior dealings with her, and she was dead long before we built Safe Haven. It was easy to forget her connection with Azula if you hadn't known about them before."

"General, Azula _went into shock _when you mentioned her. I think that's a huge deal." Lady Grey replied leaning back against her chair. They were both sitting in the masked woman's quarters discussing what had happened several hours ago. It was a habit they had developed over time. They frequently invaded each other's rooms and discussed the day's happenings in length. Sometimes they forgot to sleep.

Toph found the conversations lethargic. They relaxed her, because Lady Grey had a simplistic view on life and the world despite the trials they endured on a regular basis. It was different from the talks she had with any of the girls she knew now, or even from the talks she used to have with Katara. Lady Grey was a good conversationalist because she didn't force her views down your throat, and she didn't place any expectations on you when you answered.

Toph valued that.

She hated when people tried to manipulate her into feeling or being something that was against her nature.

Lady Grey understood that so they got along wonderfully.

She grumbled, trying to herd her wandering thoughts back to the topic at hand: Azula.

"It's not, trust me. The princess may be all over the place right now, but she's the most pigheaded arrogant wench I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. Odds are she will bounce back." Toph said blandly, her pale green eyes twinkling in amusement.

"You don't like her?" Lady Grey asked curiously.

"This is Azula…I don't think anyone likes her. People tolerate her." She replied truthfully. Every time she'd met the Fire Nation princess they were clashing-fighting to get the upperhand to see who would gain control of the Nation. Toph and her friends won, but if she could go back she'd help Azula pulverize the Avatar's group a thousand times over. The government that was instituted, and the monarch that replaced her made things infinitely worse than before: Zuko was truly not meant to wear the crown.

As far as she was concerned no one from Ozai's line should be on the throne.

They were all underhanded, untrustworthy, and unreliable.

Speaking of which…

"Is there a reason I have to tolerate her staying in my room by the way? We might kill each other." She stated matter-a-factly, her fingers tapping impatiently against the table in front of her.

"You're the only one who's had some dealings with her, and as you've stated so many times before she's dangerous. We can't just put her up anywhere. You're the most qualified person to stay with her till she recovers" Lady Grey said soothingly, her voice soft, but Toph didn't miss the subtle humor underlying her tone.

"Don't give me that. She could just as easily stay with you. _You're_ the one that wanted her rescued." She pointed accusingly at the woman in front of her, a frown marring her features.

"That's a bad idea…" The masked monarch shook her head and Toph heard shuffling as Lady Grey readjusted herself to get comfortable in her seat. She had the nasty feeling she wasn't going to win this argument, and inevitably, Azula was going to be staying in her quarters till she was better.

"Look I know you're not fond of the idea but-"

Lady Grey was abruptly cut off as the very foundations of the building shook. Toph stood up as the earth convulsed beneath her, and she dug her heels into the ground to keep her balance. Crashes resounded throughout the room and she tilted her head to the side, listening as Lady Grey stumbled around. She reached out with a steadying hand, grasping the older woman's arm and dragging her to her feet.

"What is that?" She droned, guiding them both to the door.

"I have no idea."

Grunting as the floor ceased to come alive, she stared blankly ahead taking huge purposeful steps towards the source of the noise. As she walked her feet arched, as they came into contact with sharp stones that hadn't been on the ground earlier. Whatever caused the shaking must have also damaged the wall for the hallway to be covered in rubble. She was surprised Onteel wasn't charging forward to check things out, but then again the large were-jaguar was curled up next to Horatio in Lady Grey's room. The beast could sleep through anything, even an earthquake it seemed.

"General, there's a giant hole in your wall…"

Toph frowned at the observation.

She had taken special care in crafting her room to her liking. It had taken over a day, and she had finally polished and furnished everything in a way so she had easy access to the things she needed. All of her work had been destroyed in a matter of minutes. It didn't take a genius to figure out who dismantled her wall. She shuddered to think of the damage done to the inside of her room.

"I'm going to kill her." She deadpanned, brushing past the masked woman and into the shambles of what used to be her room.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Azula watched with narrowed eyes as the little earthbender crossed over the threshold and into the room, stepping precariously over the rubble on the ground. The Former Fire princess noted how she seemed to know exactly where to step, and wondered how she accomplished such a feat without the use of her eyes. Then she found she didn't care. It was irrelevant.

Azula shifted, her gaze sharpening into a glare as the blind woman stepped closer, and as soon as she moved, those pale green eyes were focused on her. The intensity in the milky orbs was disquieting. When studying the earthbender's face she was able to single out the emotions splaying across her expression. The primary feeling emanating from the blind woman was anger, and if Azula was to hazard a guess most of that anger was for her.

She glared defiantly at her, even as the earthbender held up coarse hands, making a swift cutting motion with her palm held up towards the ceiling. Azula grunted as crutched pyramids erupted from the earth, jutting up into her wrists, and to a sensitive area behind her knees. Her legs buckled, and she fell to the ground-a soft hiss escaping her lips. The earthen pyramids forced her to sit up, and held her arms out rigidly, and at the same time encircled her wrists so she couldn't move. Another mound of earth overlapped her legs leaving her immobile, and vulnerable to the earthbender's mercy.

"What exactly did you think you were doing princess?" The earthbender strode over to the captured woman, her expression fierce.

Azula didn't respond.

She saw no reason to answer.

Speaking was pointless.

"What? Suddenly you can't talk?"

The words were taunting, but it would take far more than a few mocking taunts to force her to speak. She wasn't in the mood for these games. Her gaze slanted to the side, and she stared blankly at the wall, her face clean of all emotion. She just wanted to be left alone.

Growing frustrated at her lack of response the blind earthbender made a quick movement with her fist, and the earth keeping Azula uncomfortably inert descended swiftly into the ground. With her support, and prison gone Azula all but collapsed, her legs giving way completely. Before she forcefully became acquainted with the ground again, a callous hand shot out to steady her.

She stared at the appendage keeping her upright, and her gaze traced it back to its owner. She gazed up at the blind earthbender who suddenly seemed a lot less infuriated.

" You know…you're strange princess." She mused thoughtfully. "Most people cry when everything is going wrong. You just set things on fire."

Erupting into a violent rage was the least degrading of her options when it came to venting.

Crying was beneath her.

The earthbender shook her head, standing up after a moment. She must have figured out Azula didn't plan on acknowledging her anytime soon. "Look Azula, we're going to have to talk about your recovery, and what you plan to do with yourself later, but for now we need to talk about what happened with Ty Lee."

Azula stiffened.

A vivid image of Ty Lee's blood trickling over the paved stone streets, made her throat clench uncomfortably. She had no desire to talk about the acrobat.

The subject annoyed her.

Her lips tingled and she remembered the chaste kiss the bubbly woman had bestowed on her before leaving this world entirely.

Scratch that. The subject _severely _annoyed her and wasn't up for discussion.

"Listen Ty Lee's gone now, but she had a house not too far from here. She would want you to have it, and as soon as you've healed enough you're welcome to stay there. In the meantime Lady Grey has ordered me to stay with you."

Azula closed her eyes, far from thrilled at the news. She didn't want the masked monarch's little lapdog following her around. She was already living in barely tolerable conditions. Forcing terrible company on her seemed extreme, if not cruel.

"Oh and one more thing…"

The blind earthbender went on to explain the _"one more thing" _that correlated with Ty Lee's demise. This time when she was talking, Azula was straining to listen to her instead of pointedly ignoring her. When she finished explaining, the former princess fixed her with an incredulous look.

You've got to be kidding me…

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**Alright what do you think? XD Questions? Comments?**

**Next chapter we explore Azula's recovery and see what that one more thing is…**

**The plot slows down a tad from here, but it'll pick up again in a few chapters.**


	8. Chapter 8

**__Okay, new chapter but this one is formatted differently so pay attention to this symbols separating different sections so you don't get confused. xD**

**Erm...to answer some reviews:**

**Marze09-you'll find out what the one more thing is this chapter.^^**

**Blue Lion-I'm going into detail about Iroh's suggestion...next chapter I believe xD and I can't say anything about Lady Grey. Ya'll will find out who she is in time, towards this end of the story.**

**Thank you everyone else for Reviewing anddddd...**

**Read and Enjoy^^**

* * *

_That one more thing huh…_

Azula silently traced the battered spine of the book resting in her lap. That _one more thing_ the blind woman was alluding to- translated into a ream of paper filled with carefully scrawled script and bound with leather. The crass earthbender had procured a small stack of journals, all crafted in the same fashion for her to read. After flipping through the first few pages the familiar loopy letters made her blink: It was in Ty Lee's handwriting.

Her amber gaze reverently drank in the light scrivening, her hands trembling as they ghosted over the page. Skimming over the words was invigorating, and at the same time it was harrowing. Ty Lee's voice echoed in every sentence, in every poorly worded phrase and seeing the familiar scrawl, hearing the acrobat's light hearted mannerisms ensnare her through the pages was hell. She could almost feel Ty Lee's presence in the room when she read, and the duality of her emotions surrounding the acrobat surprised and aggravated her.

On the one hand she just wanted to forget her, and the mere thought of Ty Lee filled her with absolute dread and irrational anger. She despised her. On the other hand she wanted nothing more than to see her alive again. Azula scowled, and carefully closed the journal sitting in her lap.

She was truly pathetic.

"Those were found in Ty Lee's house." The blind earthbender-[Toph was it?] piped up from the corner of the room. Azula had trouble seeing her because of the poor lighting, but the woman's voice was clear and audible in the condensed space of the room. "Ty Lee said she'd show them to you one day if she saw you again, and since she's gone we decided to give them to you…it's your right."

Azula almost laughed.

Rights were not guaranteed. Her rights had been impeded on for years, and the only certainty, the only indefeasible truth in her life was this: Rights were meant to be revoked—anything that was meant to be undeniably hers was just another thing to be taken away. It was a hard learned lesson but one she would not be forgetting anytime soon.

Discouraged by her uncompromising silence, Toph sighed, and blew a few unruly strands of hair from her face. "Those journals should have some of the answers you seek…maybe you should read a few to pass the time, and while you're doing that-I'm going out for a bit. Lady Grey said she needed to discuss something with me. You'll be okay by yourself?" She asked, her tone hesitant like inquiring about Azula's needs left a sour taste in her mouth.

Azula rolled her eyes.

Pity, despite the earthbender's apparent growth and inherent social status she still practiced bad habits-coming when called like a well trained cur.

The Former Fire Nation princess waved her off lazily, an obvious dismissal and turned her attention back to the journal she was clenching in her hands. At the edge of her vision she saw the earthbender take her silence as an unspoken yes since the blindwoman couldn't actually see the crude gesture Azula used to get rid of her. When Toph left the room, she heard quiet footsteps get up and follow her. She didn't have to look up to know the were-jaguar had faithfully followed his master out into the hallway.

She relaxed fully into her futon, the tension bleeding out of her as their steps faded into silence. With no one to scrutinize her, and nothing but her own stubborn pride to obstruct her she slowly re-opened the journal, her body traitorously ignoring her mind.

The first line alone enthralled her.

_Dear 'Zula,_

She blinked re-reading the heading a few times, a frown creeping over her features. Ty Lee was writing to her?

The acrobat was strange, and known for being obtuse, but this was odd even for her.

Curiosity killed the cat, her mind warned her. Her eyes narrowed at the words on the page, as she finished the children's rhyme snidely.

But satisfaction brought it back. Steeling herself-she continued to read.

_Agni, it feels odd speaking to you this way. I decided to keep a journal because truthfully-I don't have anyone to confide in, and I'm tired of talking to the walls. You can only hold so many conversations with them before you realize how lonely you are…I addressed all the entries to you because well-You're all I have 'Zula and even though things are different I still think you're the only one I can talk too. I mean-I can't really talk to you because you're in a cell, and won't stop screaming at everyone, but this counts as talking right? It's the only form of communication I have with you-you know? Did you know Zuko finally released me from prison, and has me on a "conditional parole," so as long as I behave myself….I'm not sure what that means, but I think I'm getting my old station back…_

_I #()$*& )#*($ #)_ (#_$ &#$(* #_$& #*$( _#$& #(*$ (_#*$&_

**Flashback in Ty Lee's Pov (1 year after the war's end)**

Ty Lee bit her lower lip anxiously, chewing on the captured lip as she twined her hands fretfully in front of her. She'd been in prison for just over a year, dutifully paying the Fire Nation back for her crimes against the state. Her life had become one long series of scheduled activities packed on top of each other. Each morning she'd rise at the crack of dawn, the first rays of the sun piercing the gloomy darkness blanketing her cell. She would eat a sparse breakfast of dry flat bread and water then be instructed to move around for awhile to prevent muscle damage. Then every day after her breakfast and her workout routine she was stripped down and thoroughly searched so she wouldn't be tempted to hide or craft a weapon to escape with. At night she was searched again just to be certain she wasn't hiding anything. Every other day, like clockwork she was taken out of her cell to bathe, and her cell was systematically cleansed of filth while she was being hosed down. On the last day of every week a licensed physician came and assessed her mental health, scribbling down her answers as she spilled her metaphorical guts out to him.

She wasn't overly fond of her physician-Mr. Wong. The dissecting look he gave her made her skin crawl, but talking to a live person did wonders for her nerves.

She'd been in a cell for a long time, babbling endlessly to herself, and to the stoic soldiers guarding her to pass the time. She'd talk till her voice was hoarse just to remind herself she wasn't completely isolated. She hated being alone, and longed for human contact again. However despite how much she yearned to be around people, and despite how much she missed her old friends she had gotten used to the solitude. It provided a measure of comfort that she couldn't glean from high society in the Fire Nation. It was almost a relief to have no expectations placed on her, and no overzealous nobles bearing down on her for one reason or another. To be frank- her current lifestyle provided her with more security than she'd ever been gifted with before, despite being lonely and stressful.

That's why today-when the cycle of monotony was broken, and her breakfast wasn't brought on schedule she became worried. She had come to rely on the carefully structured regime that governed her every day life.

What was going on?

To her surprise seconds after this thought surfaced in her mind, two armor plated guards invaded her cell, dragging her to her feet. "Come with us." One of the soldiers said gruffly, his voice muffled by his honorary face mask. Ty Lee stumbled to her feet, her chains clinking dismally in the cell as they forced her outside of the confines of her prison. She tried to keep in step with the guards herding her from the room. Her eyes wide, and her breathing labored, she struggled to keep calm as they shoved her-none too gently into a side hallway.

What did they want with her?

They bypassed all the usual spots she was allowed to go: Which was limited to the physician's office, and a mess room in which she was hosed down when she needed to clean.

She was shocked when they unceremoniously deposited her at the public bath house, and she was vigorously scrubbed down, and made presentable. She was swarmed by beauticians and stringent Palace servants who went to work in transforming her feral appearance. Her nails were clipped and polished. Her mane of furiously matted hair was tamed, combed until each strand was glossy, and could be woven into her signature braid. Her tattered cloths were discarded and burned, only to be replaced by red silk.

She hadn't felt that crisp and clean in a long time.

But the list of surprises did not end there.

As soon as her abhorrent appearance was taken care of-she was promptly led to the throne room. She was seriously unprepared for the people waiting for her there. A year in solitude ruined whatever control she had over masking her feelings so her shock was plainly visible on her face. Upon entering the well furnished room she was greeted by a familiar unyielding stare. Mai's cold onyx gaze bored into her, as comforting as it was chilling. Next to her was her Lord Husband, prince Zuko-Now Firelord Zuko who mirrored his wife's expression down to the little crinkle at the corner of her mouth.

This led Ty Lee to now, and why she was chewing vigorously on her bottom lip, and unable to sit still. She felt exposed and uncertain under the weight of their stares. Dipping her head at Mai than at Zuko she did a hurried a half-bow, placing her clenched fist into her open palm as all the previous years of etiquette and appropriate behavior rushed back to her.

"Relax Ty Lee. There's no need for such formality." Mai chuckled, a foreign expression of happiness on her face.

Um, what?

Ty Lee risked a glance at her old friend, thoroughly unsettled by her attitude. She was used to Mai being pessimistic and dispirited. It was a rare moment indeed to see the jaded woman let go of her reserve. Marriage suited her, it seemed. However, despite her taking a friendly stance, Ty Lee was not sure where she stood with weapon's mistress. She had minimal contact from the outside world in prison, and rarely saw Mai while she was confined to her cell. When she did see the new Fire Lady the visits were brief and impersonal. They didn't talk about anything relevant and Mai left when the rapid flow of words between them began to dwindle. Ty Lee found herself reduced to a human sponge-she absorbed whatever Mai had to say, and was purposefully ignored when she needed to expunge her own burdens. Mai was always more focused on her own affairs, remarking how difficult her relationship with Zuko was, and how exhausting the position of Fire Lady made her.

A lot had changed in a year, she thought bitterly.

After awhile Ty Lee found herself resenting her old friend. Unlike everyone else who was still paying for their crimes against the Fire Nation, and against humanity as the courts so quaintly put it, Mai had never been subject to the same level of punishment as the rest of the war criminals. Zuko was terribly biased, and his romantic feelings towards her moved him to grant her leniency.

In the aftermath of the war, while Ty Lee and Azula were left to rot-Mai flourished.

The unfairness of it all grated on her, but at the same time mollified her. At least one of them escaped prison.

She stiffly stood up from her bow, looking warily between the two monarchs. "If you say so milady." She said rigidly, unsure of what reaction they were looking for. Why did they summon her now-after all this time?

"Ty Lee you can relax. We're just here to talk." Zuko's voice washed over, his tone low and soothing like she was an excitable steed that would frighten at any sudden moves or loud noises. Ty Lee shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, and released her captured lip unsure of how to proceed. She was conflicted, and a tad terrified.

"What about?" She asked carefully, searching their expressions.

"We're here to talk about you." Mai said archly, a small grin quirking her lips.

Once again, seeing Mai smile was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and Ty Lee was oddly affected by it. It worried her because everything Mai did was carefully thought out, and her emotions were never unveiled carelessly. Even happiness was a tentative feeling that might have more subtle meaning behind it.

"Oh?" She asked breathlessly, her hands fidgeting in her silk shirt again.

Zuko swooped into the conversation again, letting his chin rest on his knuckles as he peered down at her, amusement shining in his onyx eyes. "Yes, it's come to my attention that you've been in a prison a year without ever causing a problem. Mai has told me you're an exemplary inmate, and that given your crimes-and their severity we should grant you a provisional release. In her words-your actions were no more treacherous than hers, so you should be granted the same measure of leniency."

Her nose scrunched in confusion.

She wasn't the most astute person in the world, but even if she hadn't been alone for a year she would still have trouble understanding what Zuko was saying.

"I'm sorry-what?" She asked, completely bewildered.

"We're releasing you. As of right now you're on provisionary probation. You will have your old status, and title back. You'll even be granted a small settlement but you will be under constant watch to make sure you're not doing anything that might reflect badly on your station, or endanger someone. " He repeated himself in laymen's terms, his scars creasing as he sent her a reassuring grin.

Ty Lee gaped at him-unable to stop herself from drowning in her emotions-the all encompassing one being shock.

Was he serious? She was actually free.

The news stunned her into silence.

"What's wrong Ty Lee? Cat got your tongue?" Mai teased lightly.

Hardy har har.

Ty Lee closed her mouth, realizing how undignified she looked staring disbelievingly at them. "I…I don't know what to say." She stated finally, her voice quiet and thoughtful. The prospect of freedom hadn't crossed her mind in months. She had accepted her fate, and thought she would be a prisoner for years. She deserved to suffer a bit for participating in the war. Personally, her body count was low-she never killed unless it was necessary, but her actions had inadvertently caused the deaths of hundreds. She wasn't sure she had earned the right to be a free woman, especially when Azula wasn't granted the same liberty.

Azula…

"Say anything. A thank you might be appropriate though." Zuko laughed at her look of discomfort.

Ty Lee ceased her fidgeting, twining her fingers together and peered gratefully at the two rulers in front of her. "Thank you." She murmured a genuine smile stretching across her features. She cleared her throat to make sure she still carried their attention. "If I'm really free to do as I please-I have a request as well." She declared boldly.

"Name it." Mai said, leaning forward in interest.

Ty Lee inhaled shakily.

She wanted to go see Azula….

#(*$ #(%* #(%)*Y #%& #)(%*& )#(*%& #(%*& #_%*( #)%* )#(%&

An hour later Ty Lee found herself being guided down a long dark hallway. Zuko had been reluctant to grant her request, but eventually with soft prompting from Mai he had agreed to let Ty Lee see the former princess. He had warned her that Azula's mind was fragile, and mentioned that his sister was only a shell of what she once was. Odds are Azula would not even recognize her.

Ty Lee wanted to see her anyways.

Demurely, she followed the guard presented to her, her steps echoing eerily against the stone floor. She had never been in this particular section of the palace-with good reason. This place was daunting. They hadn't even reached the necessary floor, because they were still traversing through the narrow hallway. The hall itself was scantily decorated-and the floors were heavily scarred with the ephemeral path carved by thousands of heavy metal boots that trotted over its uneven surface everyday. It was hard to believe people chose to tread down these halls.

However, she was making the same journey for the same exact reason they had: To see the former Fire Nation princess. She had heard rumors of a floor dedicated expressly to certain prisoners. Only nobility guilty of the most heinous of crimes resided in the Palace prison-Azula fell into that category.

Ty Lee wondered if her old friend had faired better than she had…

"This is my stop. The princess is just past that door." The guard regarded her silently for a second, most likely trying to see if she would lose her nerve and turn back. Ty Lee returned his gaze, her own hazel eyes bright and unworried.

She could never fear Azula.

He sighed disparagingly and cracked open the door for her, inclining his head towards the poorly lit room just beyond the threshold. Ty Lee made a face, and did a silly half salute at him. No response. Not even a twitch. Un-amused by her antics, the guard stared at her with a strange expression. "Be back in a bit." Ty Lee crooned, patting him familiarly on the shoulder guard.

She brushed past the startled soldier, striding into the darkness.

Azula.

Azula.

Azula.

The name spun around in her mind like a tourniquet, teasing her consciousness with images of the Fire princess in all her inherent glory. The last time she saw Azula she was beautiful in her mastery of herself and her surroundings, and her raw power was unparalleled. The Azula of old was _divine. _Ty Lee sighed wistfully and shooed the images away, realizing how unrealistic they were.

Things change.

People change.

Azula had changed irrevocably.

Ty Lee mentally steeled herself for the upcoming meeting as she delved deeper into the unknown prison level. As she walked down the row of empty cages, she was drawn out of her thoughts paying more attention to her surroundings. Admittedly the first thing that made her steps falter was the terrible stench infused in every square inch of the room. It was the type of odor that infused itself in the air, and would cling to one's clothes long after they left the vicinity. As she approached the final cage the smell grew in potency and she stopped breathing through her nose completely.

"Azula?" She said the name plaintively not sure what would arise from the confines of the cage at her call.

Peering into the cage, she blinked as her eyes perused the shadows. There was evidence of someone living there. A cot lay spread out by the bars of the cage, and a small pile of clothes bundled at the end of the sleeping cot were crumpled in a ball like they were used recently than carelessly thrown aside. A sudden movement in the darkest corner of the cage made Ty Lee inched closer to the bars to try and distinguish what was human and what was waste.

'Zula?" She asked again, her voice sounding loud and shrill as it echoed in the narrow space.

Wild amber eyes opened immediately. They darted around the room looking for an intruder and when they landed on Ty Lee they lingered, narrowing in a cold calculating manner.

Ty Lee gulped under the weight of that apathetic stare. Even now Azula had a remarkable effect on her. She felt like she couldn't breathe. She always felt like this in her presence-like a moth drawn to flame. She was weak to Azula's pull, to the irresistible tug that made her crave the princess' company. However, lost in the firebender's thrall, she was able to ignore the danger Azula represented. Intuitively, Ty Lee knew that everytime she came closer to Azula, everytime she evoked some type of emotion from her, only solidified the pain in her future.

She was going to get burned.

Azula knew no other way.

"Hey 'Zula." She greeted her softly, stepping closer to the cage.

There was a gentle scraping sound before wordlessly, a tall spindly figure separated herself from the shadows. Ty Lee watched her lips thinning into a line as she tried to suppress her horror, and awe as Azula's monstrous appearance became visible to her. Clearly, in the past year of imprisonment they had been treated differently. Ty Lee had been a tad dirty, and underfed but she was treated well. Azula on the other hand, had received no such luxuries.

The princesses' once pristine appearance was now something anyone could gawk at. Her hair was unusually long and unkempt, streaming down her back like a waterfall, and stopping at the hollow of her hip. She was significantly skinner than she had been a year ago, her ribs just barely visible beneath her skin. That told Ty Lee that Azula wasn't eating, or the soldiers weren't feeding her properly-either action was plausible considering how stubborn Fire Nation natives tended to be. Unable to stifle a quiet sigh, her eyes continued to rove over the former princess' petite form, marking all of her other changes with a critical eye.

Her clothes were in tatters, hanging limply off her narrow frame, and beneath the thin layer of dirt covering her knobby form dried blood was caked firmly to Azula's pale skin. Her nails were unnaturally long, giving the impression she hadn't bothered with maintenance in a long time.

To top of her unruly appearance-Her amber gaze held an animalistic edge, that wasn't there before, and beneath her eyes dark circles gave credence to the idea that Azula wasn't fully herself.

When was the last time she slept, Ty Lee wondered, internalizing her worry because she knew Azula would neither accept nor acknowledge it. To the Fire princess worrying about her was synonymous with pitying her.

Pitying Azula was an unforgivable insult.

She edged nearer, holding her breath. She was close enough to touch the firebender now, but the look she was receiving stopped her in her tracks. Azula was glaring at her like she was the most vile thing she'd ever seen. Ty Lee felt incredibly small under a gaze filled with such intense hatred, but refused to let it intimidate her. Nothing would corral her from Azula's prison.

She missed the princess far too much in the last several months.

She held out a hand, shifting so she could reach through the bars. Her fingers slipped past the cool metal and just when they would have made contact with Azula's flawless skin, a clawed hand shot out, encircling her wrist, and preventing her from moving.

She stared fearlessly at Azula, who held her in a vice-like grip, and was met with a condescending look in return for her moment of bravery. Then to her utter astonishment the Fire princess erupted into spontaneous laughter. As she continued to cackle, Ty Lee couldn't help but wince at the bitter sound. It wasn't amusement coloring her tone: No, this loud boisterous laughter was chilling.

She wondered what Azula found so dreadful.

"I thought I was done seeing you." The Fire princess said bitterly, her voice harsh and brittle as she dug her nails into Ty Lee's forearm. The acrobat bit her tongue, holding back a wince of pain. She hadn't the faintest idea what Azula was talking about. She'd never visited her before today. It was beyond her ability, in the confines of her own cell. The confusion on her face must have showed because the crazed look in Azula's eye only sharpened.

She dropped Ty Lee's wrist in disgust, taking several steps back from the bars of the cage. "This is getting old. I'm tired of hearing the same voices, and seeing the same traitors every day. You're despicable. All of you are the same. Traitorous, disloyal sacks of meat. You don't deserve to breathe the same air as me." She snarled, her dull ivory teeth flashing at Ty Lee in the dim light of the room.

Ty Lee blinked her mouth dropping open. Azula was hallucinating, raving about voices and traitors. Did her defeat traumatize her that much? She didn't think it was possible for Azula's logical mind to desert her. The Fire Princess had possessed one of the keenest minds of her generation, but this broken woman in front of her could hardly form a coherent sentence. Had Azula succumbed to madness? Or was the weight of her genius finally burying her?

"Azula…" She trailed off quietly, unsure of what she wanted to say.

What could she say?

"You." Azula gnashed her teeth together, tilting her head to the side as Ty Lee's voice filtered to her. "You are the most despicable traitor of them all. Hiding your treachery behind a smile, waiting for your opportunity to strike. YOU CAUSED ALL OF THIS. IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU-I'D BE SITTING ON THE THRONE THAT IS RIGHTFULLY MINE. MINE. STOP TAUNTING ME AND TORTURING ME WITH YOUR PRESENCE. I'M TIRED OF LISTENING TO YOU. EVERY WORD FROM YOUR MOUTH IS A LIE. GET OUT." Azula screamed throwing herself violently against the bars of her cage, as if she could bypass the metal separating them and throttle Ty Lee herself.

The Acrobat flinched drawing back from the cage, her eyes wide. "Azula…" She protested weakly.

"AGNI'S TITS, LEAVE ME ALONE. I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU. TRAITORS. TRAITORS." Azula's shrill curse roused the guard stationed outside the prison. Seconds later Ty Lee heard the soldier's heavy footsteps as he raced down the row of cages in her direction, anxious to remove her from the crazed princesses' presence.

Ty Lee's gaze burned with unshed tears, and she didn't fight the guard as he dragged her away from the cage. Her eyes downcast, she submissively let him take her out of the room. She was far too drained to object. Azula's infuriated screams followed her all the way to the hallway, and she knew without a doubt that some mirage-some cruel apparition of her, and of every person that had ever wronged Azula had been tormenting the princess for months. Azula was lashing out at her, and everyone else that had caused her to suffer needlessly.

Recalling the princesses' agonized expression sent a fresh wave of guilt and remorse rippling through Ty Lee's tired body.

_You are the most despicable traitor of them all. Hiding your treachery behind a smile, waiting for your opportunity to strike._

What had she done?

"I'm so sorry 'Zula."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Journal Entry over) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxX

_I never meant to hurt you Azula…I'm so sorry._

Azula finished the last line of the page, and carefully closed the journal. Ty Lee had recounted their first meeting after a year of separation vividly. She couldn't say she recalled the incident with the same candor. She couldn't remember much about that time. Her memory was fuzzy and unreliable. She knew she was infuriated with everyone back then, Ty Lee included, and that she'd frequently see images of the people who had betrayed her in her mind. It became impossible to discern reality from her own fractured dreams-so she contented herself by striking out at everyone, imagined or not.

The incident Ty Lee wrote about was nothing more than a fragmented assortment of images she couldn't piece together. She had assumed Ty Lee was a dream at the time, and dismissed the whole event. Now she was getting a different impression of what happened.

The first thing Ty Lee had asked for upon receiving her provisional probation was to see Azula. Why? It made no sense. She could have asked for anything else, but instead she asked to see her, and wasn't perturbed when Azula snapped at her. Not for the first time that day-Azula wished Ty Lee was alive so she could have someone to direct her ire at.

Why did Ty Lee persist in complicating things, even from the grave?

"You have a good read?"

Azula started, her amber eyes darting to the entranceway. Toph was leaning against the doorframe staring blankly in her direction. A cheeky grin stretched across the earthbender's face which made Azula think something was awry. She'd only seen the earthbender smile when she was saying something biting or sarcastic. Her gaze fell to the object clenched protectively towards the blind woman's chest. Further inspection told her a new satchel was in her hands. She didn't particularly care what was in there. Her gaze flew back up to Toph's face to glare at her. How did she slip into the doorway without Azula noticing her? Very few people were capable of sneaking up on her and earthbender's weren't known for their stealth. She must have been engrossed in reading. How many hours had she wasted over this journal?

Keeping her silence, she didn't dignify Toph with an answer hoping the useless female would take the hint and leave.

Of course the earthbender, instead took that as an invitation to sit down. Azula scowled at her.

"That good huh. Bet you learned something interesting." Toph plopped onto the ground leaning against the wall behind her. She dumped the satchel on the ground beside her and shifted so she was sitting Indian style. She had no trouble getting comfortable in the dirt it seemed. She was on the opposite end of the room from her, and Azula still felt there was not enough space between them. She detested this blind woman: She wasn't subtle at all, and lacked any sort of refined skills to speak of. Her mannerisms were that of an ignorant peasant, or a barbaric noble and she was far too perceptive for her own good.

Toph spoke again, and Azula watched the impending verbal shipwreck with narrowed eyes.

"She really cared about you-"

"Stop." She interrupted the blind woman her tone icy and unforgiving. She wasn't in the mood for this, and crossing the metaphorical line was grounds to be burned alive. "Leave it alone." She said tiredly, her voice lacking its usual severity. Ty Lee wasn't up for discussion.

"Just making friendly conversation." The earthbender shrugged falling silent.

Azula quirked a disbelieving eyebrow at her. "I don't have a leg to speak on in regards to this subject-but last time I checked friendly conversation was supposed to be harmless. You are digging for something that's none of your business. Why don't you worry about your own meaningless existence and let me worry about mine? Hrm? " She sneered, forgetting for a moment that this blind woman had the advantage over her, information wise and in terms of physical strength. Azula could not even move without help and she was picking a fight with another master bender.

It was galling how little she could do here.

Toph must have noticed the irony in the situation as well, because much to Azula's chagrin, the blind woman let an amused snicker escape her lips. "Hate to break it to you princess, but since I helped free you from that hell hole-you are my business. If you want to get technical, Ty Lee's death made you my business. Personally-I can't stand you, and I know you don't exactly have warm fuzzy feelings for me, but as of right now-you're stuck with me." She stated noncommittally shaking her head. Then to purposefully annoy Azula to the point of speechlessness the earthbender sat back in the dirt, placing her hands behind her head, and closed her eyes, feigning sleep.

Azula's scowl darkened even further.

This woman's impudence was astounding.

She didn't care how late the hour was, she wasn't one to be tested like this.

"Cretinous filth." She said snidely, flashing the blind woman a superior look that she'd never see. "I don't need you." She said coldly, her amber eyes darkening so they could coalesce with her annoyance.

"Perhaps not, but I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you. You're in my house till you recover. In fact, I'm taking you to see a physician in the morning so we'll be spending even more time together. " Azula's jaw clenched at the stubborn and overtly sarcastic response. With all the dignity she could muster she turned away from the blind woman, so she was facing the opposite direction. Precariously she lowered herself to the Futon so she was lying on her side, and ignored the mind numbing pain lacing through her limbs at the action. Moving still caused her an immense amount of discomfort.

Before she allowed herself the novelty of sleep, she placed the journal she'd been reading under her pillow. She'd pick up where she'd left off tomorrow. As she became accustomed to the darkness, exhaustion invaded her limbs, and after the trying day she had Azula found herself easily drifting into sleep. Before her dreams fully claimed her though she heard Toph's quietly murmured words.

"Maybe one of these days I'll figure out why Ty Lee was so attached to you…cuz right now I'm not seeing it."

Truthfully, she wasn't either.

Azula's thought process was that: Ty Lee simply had poor tastes in friends.

No, she rationalized remembering the chaste kiss Ty Lee had left her with. Her lips tingled at the memory. Ty Lee just craved too much closeness. _You don't befriend something that can burn you. _Her last traitorous thought before she fell asleep that cemented her own feelings ghosted across her mind. _If Ty Lee hadn't met her, she'd be alive, and Azula wouldn't be tormented by her death. _

_Ha. Ozai said she was lucky…_

Another lie. Her life was a cornucopia of well told lies. They overran everything, and built an impenetrable fortress around her-a fortress that was finally crumbling. She wasn't lucky. She wasn't all powerful. She had no control over anything, even her useless limbs. Ozai propped her up on a pedestal with no way to keep her there, and she hated him for it. Her entire family practiced lying in this way: It was second nature to them. It was a way of life- Zuzu, Ozai, Iroh, they were all innately the same built with the same building blocks. Ursa, the one woman she loathed indefinitely, the one responsible for the most terrible lies of all, was also responsible for the cruelest truth in her life:

**Everything she touched shattered.**

* * *

** Okay end of the chapter. Next time I'm going to have integrate Zuko, Iroh, Katara and Sokka into the chapter which means the next update is going to be extremely long, since there will be another journal entry in it as well x.x **

**Any comments? Questions? What'd you think? xD**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry I was late in updating this. This chapter…almost killed me. **

**It was a monster in length and I'm not...completely satisfied with it. To be honest the characters all threw me off as I was writing. They might seem a bit off and I apologize for that.**

**But, on another note. I got my first flame for this story, and I have got to say-normally I get pissed off about them, but this one I had to laugh because he basically bashed my entire first chapter, and accused me of making all my characters one-dimensional and poorly crafted anime characters. Apparently they weren't "real" enough and the plot I have going is terrible because of it, and he based his entire opinion on the intro...I mean, really?...Now, let's examine what he said for a second. He said my characters have no depth, and I'll give him credit for that because in the first chapter it was an INTRO there was no depth to any of my characters. That was done purposely. He said the plot was poorly done and reflected a poorly crafted anime? Well to be honest-ATLA is a Korean cartoon. If it hadn't been made there it woulda been made in Japan and to be frank-it has alot of anime elements in it anyways, and lastly the intro is not even a FRACTION of the plot. There's so much going on in the background and subplots that I neglected to mention in the first chapter. You can't give constructive criticism on the intro of a story. You can't even do a successful flame based on the intro of a story. So to all FUTURE flamers-if you're going to dislike my story. Read it first, than tell me why you don't like it and maybe I can make some changes. I'm all for fixing mistakes.**

**So yeah...in any case I'm done ranting.**

**Read and Enjoy.**

* * *

Zuko rubs his throbbing temple, trying to assuage his pounding head. He felt like rhinos were eviscerating the inner walls of his cranium. He was suffering after a restless night filled with nothing but worry, and an exceedingly busy day filled with nothing but superficial words, and subtle probing questions to test the waters. Azula's whereabouts were submerged somewhere in darkest depths of ambiguity, and he was using all his resources to make her surface again.

So far he had been unsuccessful.

Earlier that morning, Iroh had left with the regulators to go search for Azula the hard way. The Dragon of the West was going to use a more hands on approach in trying to locate her and expected Zuko to play his part as well. He had said as much with the subtle flippancy, and good natured humor that only Iroh was capable of. However, just before his Uncle exited the gates of the palace he sent a servant scurrying back to Zuko with a message-telling him to check with his scribe: Lucia Donaro.

Apparently Iroh had done some digging before he left, and gathered enough information to make a viable list of candidates for Zuko to question. The Firelord remembered his eyebrows slowly creeping to his hairline as he skimmed over Iroh's meticulous scrawl.

_Hello my favorite nephew,_

_I came to the realization late last night that you might need a more enlightened perspective than what I gave you. In my old age, I seem to have forgotten that you and your sister did not travel in the same social circles, and you went out of your way to avoid her. That would make searching for her difficult on your end. So I ordered some of my more experienced regulators to hunt for some more information, and they made this list._

_This isn't all of Azula's contacts but they're a start. Question them and see where it leads you._

_Remember not to stress yourself too much over this. The best decisions are made with a calm mind Zuko._

The rest of the letter was a long list of names he didn't recognize. Only half were Fire Nation in origin, and others were clearly residents in one of the other two nations. Zuko knew his sister was well connected, but he wasn't fully aware of the scope of her connections until today. This list spanned over every nationality and social class. It appeared that nobles were just a conduit for her. She used their resources, but the majority of the list was the lower class.

It was typical of her. Azula associated with people she could easily overpower.

Regular citizens didn't stand a chance.

But to her credit-it meant that they wouldn't stand a chance against him either.

With this thought in mind, he began making visits. He started with the first name on the list: Taro, and ended up meeting a young shady looking man. He admitted to knowing Azula, but said their relationship was completely platonic. Zuko wasn't the most observant person in the world, but even he could recognize a blatant lie when he heard one. Whatever dealings the young Fire citizen had with Azula, they were something he didn't want advertised. Ignoring the boy's vehement denial, he changed his course of questioning. He asked if Taro knew about Azula's escape? Taro said no. He asked how Taro felt about Azula? Taro said he hated her.

Following each sequential visit after Taro Zuko was met with the same violent response. Everyone he asked, every single person-said they knew Azula and despised her.

They would gladly see her go to the noose.

He wasn't getting anywhere. Each possible lead ended disastrously, and finally after hours of unsuccessful searching he decided to call it a day. He'd barely made a dent in the list but he was drained physically and emotionally. The thought alone-of going on another escapade to cross examine and question another one of Azula's rude contacts made him cringe.

Now he sat in one of the lush dining halls in the Palace, trying to figure out how to deal with a migraine.

"FireLord Zuko."

He didn't look up, his head still cradled gently between his hands. "Yes?" He asked stiffly, trying keep his voice even. He could tell from the reverent tone he was being addressed with that the one calling him by his title was a Palace servant. Either someone sent the servant on an errand or he had something negative to bring to Zuko's attention.

"Firelord, The Southern Water Tribe Liaisons are in the hall. They wish to speak with you."

That made him look up. What were Katara and Sokka doing outside? He hadn't spoken to them since Aang's illustrious announcement. They hadn't been avoiding each other, but they were reluctant to reside too long in each other's company because they could not reach an understanding regarding the Avatar. Zuko was convinced that Aang was guilty of something. He remembered the accusatory words that left the airbender's mouth and the disappointed expression he leveled Zuko with.

"_I don't regret what I've done tonight, but you all should regret your actions. You should have some hint of remorse for the hell you've managed to create in the last five years."_

Zuko scowled, his scars creasing at the unwelcome thought.

Aang abandoned his duties. He abandoned his friends, and Zuko found such negligence unbecoming of him. A true friend- a true man was _loyal._ How could the Avatar turn his back on the people that needed them? It was a question that beguiled him. Sokka agreed that something was wrong, but not with the same vehemence or gusto Zuko did, and Katara was under the impression that something more was going on beneath the surface. The waterbender was convinced that Aang had his own worthwhile reasons for leaving that he hadn't shared.

Zuko didn't care about his reasons.

He cared about the consequences of his actions.

The government they'd instituted lost face because of Aang's refusal to be involved. Losing credence made the people talk, it made them wonder, and in the end-made them rebel. That was the last thing he wanted, and because of his uncompromising stance regarding Aang the Avatar decided to make himself scarce, and he hadn't been privy to the Southern Water tribe representatives in days.

Now they were just outside his dining hall.

"Let them in." He said, his voice clipped.

The servant bobbed submissively, and quietly inclined his head in respect before exiting the room. A second later, Zuko heard the doors open and shut again and the sound of booted feet scraping against his polished floor filtered toward him. He winced at the sound, his headache coming back in spades. He deigned to look up and saw Sokka's stocky form just as he took a seat at the table followed by Katara. They were dressed casually in the silken red of the Fire Nation-which Zuko could admit, suited the siblings.

"Long time no see, eh? Zuko." Sokka's deep timber resonated throughout the room, and Zuko frowned, his jaw clenching at the familiar booming tone.

"Could you lower your voice please?" He pleaded, the jackhammers continuing to drill miniscule holes into his skull until the whole structure caved in.

"Are you okay Zuko?" Katara asks softly, unrestrained concern darkening her gaze.

Zuko sent her a grateful look for speaking quietly. "Yes, I just have a serious migraine." He admitted, waving off her concerned look with slight flick of his hand. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine. What brings you two here?" He asked, reverting to a more business-like tone.

"We're here to see if you're still alive, and to check and see if you've done anything stupid without us." Sokka said seriously, a solemn expression on his face. Zuko could see the jovial look in his eye though. Clearly, the tribesmen was making light of the last few days. It was easy for Sokka to do-despite the volatile circumstances that curbed his easygoing nature, the tribesmen still had a good sense of humor, and an even temper unlike Zuko.

"What Sokka is trying to say," Katara said diplomatically, cutting her brother an unamused look, "Is that we were wondering if there was anything we could do to help?" She asked hopefully, her eyes reflecting her desire to assist in the situation.

Help?

He laid his hands palm flat across the table, splaying his fingers openly in a thoughtful pose. He could use some help, but there was very little his friends could do. "I don't think that's a good idea. I need help finding Azula, and with Iroh's guidance I've been digging but a lot of these people are touchy, and don't respond well to questioning. They will never cooperate if more people get involved." A much put-upon sigh escaped his lips.

Katara bit her lip, looking a bit let down by the news. "I suppose it's just as well." She said after a moment of silence passed between the three warriors. "Sokka and I have responsibilities at home we need to tend to."

"Actually Katara, one of use should stay here and help smooth over the situation with Aang. I was thinking of returning home on my own and letting you and Zuko clean up that mess." Sokka grinned, fixing his sister with a pointed look.

Zuko made a face, not particularly thrilled at the prospect, but then his gaze wandered over to Katara who looked relieved. Her expression could almost be described as eager. She wanted to stay.

Why?

Zuko wondered. Why was Katara so intent on staying in the Fire Nation? Just to help? Somehow he doubted that. No matter what she said, humans were inherently self motivated. They worked for their own interests to their own ends. She wanted something. Idly, he wondered what that something was.

She cleared her throat.

"I think the best way to go about fixing the situation with the people is to find Aang. Have either of you seen him?"

Zuko shook his head.

Perhaps he shouldn't have been asking what she was staying for, but rather for _whom_ she was staying for.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**In Safe Haven**

"So, you're going to have a funeral for Ty Lee here?" Azula asked, her tone carefully neutral as she stared at Toph.

The blind earthbender nodded. "She was well loved by the people, and they will want to mourn for her." She explained, her expression solemn.

The former princess snorted. The earthbender knew very well she didn't care what the people of this place wanted.

This conversation was just a distraction.

A very poor distraction to keep her from noticing the pain she was in.

Azula flinched as long bony fingers ghosted over her battered frame, searching, and tentative as they traced over her bruises and scars. She bared her teeth at the healer in front of her. "Hurry up." She hissed. She hated being touched, even a physician's casual examination was distasteful to her. It didn't help that he was taking his sweet time, and that she was in extreme pain.

"Sorry." He drew back, his expression apologetic.

Her temper continued to simmer even as he fell back a respectable distance from her. This healer- Kei, as he was called, had been prodding at her for over an hour, testing her bones, her muscles, the severity of her bruises, monitoring her reactions as he poked at every square inch of her body. Every few moments he would jot something down on a scroll his expression grave. At the beginning of this visit, she found his actions a trifle unsettling, but she tolerated him. That was then. By this time she found his mere presence an aggravation. The only reason she hadn't charred his face beyond recognition was because of the blind earthbender sitting languidly in the corner. Well, that and the agonizing amount of pain she had to endure when she tried to firebend.

"I have…Unfortunate news." Kei rubbed his eyes tiredly and dropped the scroll he'd been writing in on the desk.

Azula straightened at his tone. It was not…positive.

Across the room she saw Toph edge nearer, tilting her head towards the healer to hear his words. "Lay it on us Kei." The earthbender prompted him.

"Her…" He trailed off shaking his head, and murmured something beneath his breath. Suddenly his youthful face looked pale, and old as he met Azula's gaze. "Your condition Ms Azula is serious. When you were in captivity, the people imprisoning you neglected you terribly. You weren't moved enough. You didn't get enough activity. You're muscles are irreparably damaged. Not only that, but you've lost some bone mass. You are nowhere near the weight of what someone your age and height should be. You were washed off enough, or as you put it in my report "hosed off" enough so you didn't develop a skin infection, but your wounds you received via interrogation were never treated properly. So the bacteria wasted away at your flesh. These wounds, even with treatment won't heal properly."

He finally stopped his long rant, pausing to take a breath. His voice softened and Azula felt the finality in his next words. "Azula, even with therapy, and years of healing your body will never be the same way it was….You can't stress yourself. In time you'll be able to walk normally, but you will probably never be able to fight again."

Azula ceased moving.

She ceased breathing.

…She would never fight again?

Ever?

This news struck a chord in her, derailing whatever thought she'd been on. Ty Lee's death had cut her deeply, but it hadn't been like this. Coping with death was one thing, but it was existential. Death caressed you, it drained you, it ravaged you, but it didn't carve out a part of you. Losing the power to fight was synonymous to losing a part of what characterized her-losing what defined her as Azula. She'd been fighting as long she'd been walking. She was **groomed** to fight. Ozai enforced this for her. Under his tutelage her skill grew, and fighting came as easy as breathing.

And now she felt like she was suffocating.

Dimly, she was aware of a long suffering sigh in the background, before Toph's dry voice filled the room.

"You never have _good_ news, do you Kei?"

"I'm sorry." He exclaimed, making placating gestures in front of him like he was expecting abuse from the infamous General. Toph didn't raise a hand against him though, the blind earthbender just sent a bored look in his direction as if asking why he was still in the room if his job was done.

The healer chuckled nervously. "I'm going to prescribe some heavy doses of my herbal medication, and give you a strict regime to help speed up your muscle recovery…but I can't promise miracles. Odds are you will only be able to walk again, but activities like running, or fighting will be too strenuous on you."

Azula's hands clenched into fists, her knuckles turning white beside her limp legs. "And if I ignore you and engage in those activities anyways?" She intoned, her voice colorless. She had to ask. She had to make this surreal moment more palpable. Accepting the alternative, accepting how bleak her future was, meant accepting several other unpleasant realizations.

It meant accepting she'd been completely defeated.

It meant accepting she'd failed in…everything.

It meant accepting she was **weak.**

Her pride wouldn't allow her to admit any of that.

"If you decide to circumvent my orders…you're muscles will collapse completely and you will be paralyzed for the remainder of your life."

Azula's breath hitched.

Her balled fists started shaking.

Of course.

Naturally.

It was a given.

Zuko managed to find the one thing she had left and completely decimate it. She could not even keep her health in check of her own accord-thanks to her _Dear Lord brother._

She was truly pitiful.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**At the Palace**

Katara walked down the familiar stony pathway, her heart pounding in her ears. She'd left Zuko's company hours ago to search for Aang. She'd been unsuccessful in finding him so far. He wasn't in his room, although his stuff still lay pragmatically on the edge of the bed. He wasn't in the stables although Appa was sleeping lazily against a loft of hay. He wasn't in any of the normal places he'd normally wander off to so she decided to look somewhere less conventional.

Long before the Purging, or the culmination of the Four Nation's council she'd been privy to all of Aang's secrets, and all of the places he went off to-to think or to meditate. He shared some of those places with her. There were several spots hidden throughout the Fire, Earth, and Water Nations that they'd designated as their own. Their chosen hiding places were private-set apart from the rest of the world so they couldn't be interrupted. At the time, they were together, and fully committed to each other. She'd follow him to the gates of hell, and he'd already walked through fire for her.

She loved him back then.

Sometimes she wondered if she still loved him…

She stopped analyzing her feelings, and took a shaky breath marveling at the tantalizing salty scent teasing her senses. She was close.

Her eyes flicked over towards the familiar rock formation in front of her. Boulders easily twice her size hung precariously on a ledge-too large to be moved, and too stubborn to be shifted. She picked her way to the edge where the rocks blocked the path leading to a steep downward's cliff, each progressing step shepherding her towards the sound of rushing water. With practiced ease she spider climbed up the side of one particular jagged boulder, hauling herself to it's peak, and peering over the side.

Aang was the first thing she saw.

The airbender sat serenely in the middle of a waterfall, his pale body glistening as the water cascaded down his form. His eyes were closed, and he sat in the typical meditative pose, letting the rhythmic beat of the water lull him into a relaxed state. He must have been extremely stressed to meditate in these conditions. The cold season was approaching and the water generally felt like drowning in a bucket of ice this time of year. On the shore his shirt, and monk's robe lay discarded in the sand leaving him clothed in only his pants. That left the waterbender plenty to stare at, and she did let her gaze trace his face and rove down his broad shoulders to his well sculpted chest, before gathering herself and staring at his face again.

The Katara of ten years ago would have blushed painfully.

But now…

The waterbender stood up from her perch, and swept her hand into a large arc in front of her. At her whim, water snaked out from the inner recesses of the waterfall, weaving gracefully through air before encircling her. She windmilled her arms back and forth urging the pool forming beneath her feet to slide her through the air. It did so compliantly, and Katara found herself floating towards Aang.

The Avatar, roused by the feel of her chi rippling through the air cracked one eye open as she landed deftly on both feet in front of him.

"Katara." He blinked, his gaze misty as the water cascaded down his face. He carefully stood up himself, abandoning his meditation and stepped out of the range of the droplets pouring over him. "What are you doing here?" He shook himself, not unlike a dog who needed to shed the water from his fur.

"I came to talk to you." She said simply, amused by his antics.

He knew he could just airbend himself dry right?

He must have come to the same conclusion because a minute later a furious windstorm encircled him, blinding Aang from Katara's view. When the jagged wisps dissipated around him, he stood in front of her completely dry. "What about?" He asked, his expression cautious, and his tone guarded.

She winced. "About what happened earlier…Aang Zuko thinks you're abandoning us. He thinks you don't care anymore, and that instead of serving the people you're now serving yourself."

Aang didn't physically react. His face remained unusually stony and impassive and that worried her. Of all her friends the airbender was the most expressive. His emotions were always on his sleeve for the world to read, but lately she couldn't read him. He accused them of changing, but Aang wasn't the same boy he was anymore either. As if emphasizing her point he responded in the same way a stranger or a wary enemy would.

"And what do _you_ think?" He said artfully taking control of the conversation.

"I don't know what to think." She admitted truthfully. "You said you didn't trust us anymore Aang, after all we've been through…I don't understand how you could doubt us. I also don't understand why it's so _easy_ for you to walk away." Age old frustration trickled into her tone. Her father abandoned her for the greater good, and Aang was treading down the same path.

"You guys haven't exactly given me a reason to feel differently. You're all so uncompromising. You don't listen to anyone-least of all me. You're indifferent to the people's needs, and you're completing what Ozai started. There is no such thing as a utopia. When you all finally realize that-nothing will be left." He said, his tone dark and uncharacteristic for the light hearted airbender, but then his face softened and he looked away. "And it wasn't easy walking away: It was the hardest thing I've ever done." He said quietly, his eyes soulful and filled with remorse.

Katara's heart clenched. "Then why don't you come back?"

"I can't." His voice shook as if he wanted to add more, but couldn't bring himself too.

"No one's stopping you Aang." She reminded him softly. Zuko would welcome the airbender's return, and she would too.

"I can't." His voice cracked. "I couldn't live with myself if I came back."

"Do you think what we're doing is so horrible?" She was genuinely confused by his refusal. Why was he so insistent on leaving? He couldn't be that disgusted by their actions. They weren't killing in cold blood, they were ridding the world of evil-of people that couldn't even be called humans. They were monsters, and deserved to be destroyed. She'd stopped agonizing over this issue years ago, and couldn't recall ever being conflicted like Aang was.

At her question, his expression contorted into—not disgust, but into overwhelming disappointment. "The old Katara would've known the answer to that question." He replied, his words cutting into her like a knife.

Katara lowered herself to the ground to accommodate her legs that had fallen asleep. Her icy blue eyes fixed on Aang's solemn ones. She turned over his words in her mind. The Old Katara huh…

A bitter smile quirked her lips.

"The old Katara is gone Aang." She reminded him gently.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX 

**Aang's Pov**

He looked at her then, really looked at her. She'd grown older, tawnier, more distinguished. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, but right now he'd never been so repulsed by her. "What happened to you?" He asked sharply, his voice coming out harsher than he meant it to. There was culpable gap between him and all his friends. Since his impromptu announcement the gulf had only widened, but with Katara standing here, in front of him he wanted to cross that divide.

He wanted to know why she wasn't the sweet girl he remembered anymore.

She chuckled.

It wasn't a pleasant sound. "The war happened Aang. Everyone changed."

"I was with you after the war. You were fine. We were fine." He said, recalling that brief span of time they were happy and carefree. It seemed like an eternity ago.

Her eyes glazed over, most likely remembering the same tender memories he had just been reliving. He remembered every touch, every kiss, every clumsy attempt he'd ever made to get closer to her over those years. He'd ached for her, and every moment he couldn't be by her was pure torture.

She wasn't like this then.

So what went remiss?

"Did you ever notice how after the first year or so we started drifting apart?" She asked airily, gazing intently at him for a reaction. "We didn't emotionally draw away from each other but we had more demands placed on us so we started seeing each other less. You were always off helping people-fixing people. I couldn't come with you because Zuko begged me to help with the uprisings happening around the Fire Nation. Some of those people were so angry that he was in power…"

"I remember." He said stiffly. He remembered that time as vividly as he rememberd the time they were inseparable

Her smile widened. "Sokka was in the same boat as me. We were part of a containment unit. We contained the rebels trying to assassinate Zuko, or cripple the Fire Nation, to install some other tyrant to rule there. We did this for months Aang." She spat out months like it was a vile word, and the airbender flinched at her tone. "I almost never saw you during that time, I became so used to surviving each day without you and communicating with you through letters I almost forgot what you looked like."

Aang grinned weakly.

He remembered struggling with the same vices. He'd missed Katara terribly, but couldn't find the time to meet up with her because he had his own peace keeping duties to attend to and she was doing a favor for Zuko.

"I remember that too." He said, withholding a pained grimace.

"Did I tell you that Sokka and I were captured during that time too?" Her teeth flashed in the waning sunlight, reminding him more of a predator revealing it's fangs than an actual smile.

Then her words actually sunk in.

"Wait...what?!" His eyes widened

Katara and Sokka had been captured? By who? Why? He plopped down to the ground not trusting himself to stand and interrogate her with questions. He criss-crossed his legs beneath him, his eyes fixed on her face. Judging by her expression she wasn't joking. Why would anyone imprison Katara, or her brother? And why had she never mentioned this before? His bewilderment must have showed on his face because she chuckled, and this time he didn't feel a chill run down his spine when she was done laughing.

"We were captured. Me, Sokka, and our entire unit were ambushed by one of those anarchist groups. They had us for three months Aang. Three long, dreary months before we were released."

Aang gaped at her.

Three months? And he'd never known until today?

What was he supposed to say to that?

No words seemed sufficient.

Luckily he was saved the trouble of looking for the right reassurances, because Katara carried on in her story, completely oblivious of his horrified look. "We were dragged underground and forced into this little cramped space. It was dark and cold… They had these…chains that took away our bending. I've never seen anything like them before. We didn't know there names, or what they wanted. They kept asking questions about Zuko-endless questions about what his goals were, and what his plans to save the Fire Nation were. We couldn't answer. We didn't know. Zuko didn't even know the answers to those questions. So how could we? Then this masked lady, their leader decided to force an answer out of us." Her voice faltered, but the rest of the words trickled out at her behest. "It was the most painful thing I've ever gone through…and Sokka still won't talk about it."

Aang had tuned her out at masked lady.

Lady Grey's stormy eyes flashed across the surface of his mind.

He'd never considered her a threat before though. She was his friend, and he trusted her, but Katara's words made a sliver of doubt enter his mind. He understood everyone had a capacity to be evil. He also understood that, in the grand of scheme of things Lady Grey was not the only masked woman in the world. Even though he was one of the few people graced with her name, and knew what she looked like beneath the mask-He couldn't completely dismiss the voice in the back of his head that was telling him she was terrifying.

She possessed a power, intensity, and charisma that could only be matched by a few people-like Toph and Azula for example. Just like them-She was adamant in getting her way, and stubborn like most good leaders, two exemplary qualities that made her capable of the cruelty Katara was talking about.

But was Lady Grey the one responsible?

He didn't know.

He did know she was dangerous though.

"After she came to the conclusion we had nothing to offer-she let us go." Katara said, her voice hollow. He could hear a slight tremor there, that had he been anyone else he could have ignored. Instead, before he realized what he was doing, he found himself fluttering closer so their arms were brushing. He sat down noting the almost non-existant space between them.

"Why didn't you tell me Katara?" He asked softly.

Unhinged by his look, or perhaps by his tone, Aang watched as tears glistened at the edge of her eyes. He wanted to tug her into an embrace, but he wasn't allowed such liberties anymore. So his hands remained loosely at his side. He expected her to break down into unwilling tears, but he didn't expect her to lash out at him-so when her fists began beating angrily against his chest, robbing him of breath, he rocked back a step before grasping her wrists tightly and drawing her to him.

"When was I supposed to tell you Aang? When I finally got released from that hellhole Mai was assassinated, and not too long after that Suki died." She thrashed against his grip, tears rolling down her face. Instead of releasing her, he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. "And right after that you left, preaching the same nonsense you were talking earlier. What was I supposed to do Aang? Beg to talk to you?" She murmured darkly into his neck. His heart thudded painfully in his chest, and he was reminded keenly of the time when it used to beat only for her. Even though they were no longer together seeing her in pain made him fall back into old habits: He still couldn't stand to see her unhappy.

"I'm sorry." He murmured against her ear.

Toph was right-he was weak.

He wanted desperately to do the right thing, and that meant leaving but right now all he wanted to do was comfort his friend, and former love.

He couldn't leave like this.

Her tear streaked face would haunt him for months.

Katara drew back from the embrace to stare up at him, but didn't leave his arms. Aang reveled in the feeling. He hadn't been this close to her in a long time. Her warm breath fanned over his face, and he resisted the urge to lean in and capture her lips. He remembered how addictive those were. He'd never surface for air again if he crossed that line, and he couldn't walk down that road again.

He was being appallingly selfish right now.

Instead of remaining inert, he released the grip he had on her waist and disentangled himself from her.

She sighed morosely when he backed away from her.

"You're still leaving aren't you?" She asked, her voice small.

Guilt welled up in his chest. Once again his decision was hurting someone and he was helpless to change that. "Yes, it's for the best."

Katara's expression crumpled. "Will you be back before Ty Lee's transported?"

His brows furrowed together. Ty Lee…transported?

What was she talking about?

"What are you talking about?"

At his question, Katara paled considerably. "That's right you don't know…"

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**In Safe Haven**

Toph gently set the former princess on the Futon in her room, being careful not too jolt her too much. Azula had been quiet since they'd left the physician's house and she didn't know how to react to the woman's brooding silence. After being in Azula's company for the past several days-She was slowly becoming accustomed to the firebender's icy attitude, and biting comments. She wasn't familiar with the woman's silence though.

She found it…unsettling.

But then again, the former princess had a lot to iron out in her head. She just lost the ability to fight. Azula must be reeling at this new change in events. Toph also found them earth shattering but for different reasons. She wasn't fond of the firebender by any stretch of the imagination, but on some level she did respect her. She always felt a measure of respect for reputable fighters.

Azula had mastered the highest level of firebending, that in itself was remarkable, but now she couldn't even use the skill she'd worked so hard to master. Regardless of their past history, and of how viciously the former princess treated the people around her, Toph couldn't help but feel indignant at the loss.

True fighters were rare.

Azula had kidnapped, threatened, and manipulated her way into a legendary status. She'd swindled her way into glory, but her fighting skill was unparalleled. It wasn't an exaggeration. If Katara had not interfered in the Agni Kai against Zuko, Azula would have ended him, and Toph knew it.

She felt it.

Just as she felt Azula's despair settling over the room now like a cold wave.

"Are you just going to sit there and pretend the last thirty minutes didn't happen?" Azula's familiar sneer made her tilt her head. The cold severity that was normally absent from the princess' tone was back again, renewed by her staggering loss.

"That was my intent." Toph said loftily, folding her arms under her breasts and leaning back against the wall behind her. "We're not friends so you wouldn't appreciate me trying to lift your mood. We're not enemies anymore either so I won't kick you while your down. The best I can offer you is silence." She shrugged, hearing Azula shift on the futon. She could almost feel the princess' weighty stare on her.

"Or you could _leave._" Azula offered snarkily.

"I could." Toph said amiably, not rising to the bait. Azula wasn't going to drive her from her own quarters.

"I despise you." The princess said darkly.

Toph smirked, hearing the anger abating from the princess' words. She wasn't garnering a reaction so now she was running out of things to attack her with. Azula wanted to unleash her pent-up rage on someone, but Toph wasn't volunteering herself. She'd made her position clear. They weren't friends. She wasn't obligated to be the princess' emotional punching bag. "I know." She replied, following her pattern of answering curtly. Azula's words hardly registered to her.

She seemed to hate everything with the same single-minded intensity.

"What? The feeling isn't mutual?" Azula asked coldly, her words sharp and ornery.

"Nope." Toph replied truthfully, not expounding into an explanation. If she hated the princess-Azula would be dead. Zuko would have killed her ten times over.

Azula snorted, deriving her own meaning from Toph's words. "Pathetic peasant, I don't need your pity."

Toph grinned, genuinely amused by her reaction. "I don't pity you Princess. I'm infuriated by you. I want you to stay anywhere but here. You annoy me, but you don't inspire pity. Believe it or not I'd prefer you to get better. It would make things easier in the long run."

Azula fell silent, and Toph had to strain to hear her moving around. Obviously, Azula wasn't expecting her to say that. The princess knew how to respond to cruelty, anger and hatred. She clearly didn't know how to respond to anything positive. Her words weren't nice, but they weren't laced with malice either.

"You don't lie at all do you?" Azula asked lowly, and Toph noted her voice was teeming with exhaustion, and something else-something bitter.

"Nope." Toph said quietly, not eager to prolong this already dying conversation. Azula wasn't interested in her answers, and Toph wasn't interested in sharing. Their words were empty, and pointless. Although her question was easy to answer- As a rule, she didn't lie. She was brutally honest, and people found that quality petrifying. No one enjoyed being told truth.

Lies were easier to swallow.

Azula knew that well. Her entire life was seeped in lies.

Being forcefully introduced into the truth was destroying her.

"Ty Lee didn't either." The princess murmured tiredly. Either Azula was seconds away from succumbing to sleep or the physicians words had completely warped her mind. Toph couldn't imagine the former princess divulging that type of information while she was completely conscious.

Her theory was proven correct when Azula's breaths evened out signaling the princess' unhalting surrender to sleep.

"Night princess." Toph yawned, waiting until she heard Azula's quiet exhales to leave the room. She would see her in the morning.

But one thought stuck with her as she walked down the hallway.

_Where's your fire princess?_

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**A few Hours later…**

Azula slept sparingly, unable to rest more than a few hours at a time. Her mind refused to relax so she couldn't force herself to sleep. She was far too wired. She stared into the darkness enveloping the room, letting her eyes adjust to the lengthy shadows. Sleep alluded her still. She fidgeted, throwing the sheet off of her, and rubbing her eyes tiredly. She needed something to do to occupy her mind. She couldn't afford to dwell on herself, or on her circumstances-the fact that she was now **crippled** confounded her.

Desperate to find something to do, she snapped her fingers, conjuring a small blue flame. It illuminated the room, casting pale azure shadows across every surface. The amount of effort it would cost to move, surpassed the urge to find something relevant to do. Unconsciously her hand drifted under her pillow, grasping Ty Lee's journal.

She dragged the battered book out, and rested it in her lap.

She'd only read the first entry before, and there were several pages left before Ty Lee's carefully printed scrawl disappeared.

Toph's words from before filtered across her mind._"The journal might have some of the answers you seek."_

She sifted through the pages, finding the spot where she left off.

Educating herself on the past couldn't hurt.

_Dear Azula,_

_Did you know what upon my provisionary release I joined the Kyoshi Warriors? No, I guess not...I'm not exactly your favorite person right now…._

_ #*$ () #&$) #U_$ #&$( #$U#*(_ #$* #+$*($& (_! &$ #&$(*# _

**1 year after the war**

Ty Lee glanced down in awe at the bulky green armor weighing her down. She was wearing a heavy, metal plated skirt that restricted her movement as well as long durable green pants underneath that. A chest plate guarded her upper body, and a hot helmet proficiently protected her head. She did a wondering twirl, listening as the metal clanked together in the dismal silence.

"This is awesome." She gushed, admiring the design.

"You are more excited about getting the armor than any of our other new recruits." Suki laughed, clapping the acrobat companionably on the shoulder.

Ty Lee stutter-stepped to keep her balance, and turned back to stick her tongue out at her amused companion. "That's because they're all sourpusses. I mean, I've heard of traditional, but your warrior sisters are over the top." She complained with an adamant shake of her head.

"They've been sheltered." Suki defended them meekly, her lips twitching at Ty Lee's petulant expression.

Of all the Kyoshi warriors, Ty Lee had grown the closest to Suki. Despite the terrible things Azula did to her, and the part she played in hurting her-they still managed to find common ground. The acrobat had been transported to Kyoshi island on the eve of her release. At first her presence had been tolerated. People treated her like she was diseased and wouldn't associate with her outside of work or training. Suki had broken the mold-insisting on following Ty Lee around.

They didn't trust each other, or rather, Suki didn't trust her.

But in spending time with her, in forcing herself to invade Ty Lee's home, and life, she learned a lot about the acrobat. At first Suki also treated her like she was Fire Nation filth. Ty Lee was undeterred by the hostility directed towards her-Suki was mellow in comparison to Azula. She accepted her hateful glares with a patient smile and confused the Kyoshi warrior to no end. But eventually even her aggressive attitude began to wane.

Suki stopped treating her like a villain, and started treating her like an equal.

Eventually they even managed to call themselves friends.

Ty Lee found the change in status refreshing.

With Suki's acceptance, she was able to garner the acceptance of the other warrior sisters as well. They named her an honorary sister in arms, and graced her with one of their infamous sets of armor. Superficially, they respected her, and added her to their numbers. Ty Lee had been accepted into the fold, and she found the experience daunting, and yet invigorating.

She hadn't felt she'd belonged somewhere since she attached herself to Azula.

This was new, but not terrible.

In another lifetime she would have loved it here.

She still felt disjointed though. Even though she was exploring where her place was now-her heart was still with Azula. She'd been following in the princess' shadow for so long she forgot what it felt like to function without her. She missed her friend to the point of helplessness. One of Ty Lee's greatest attributes and flaws was her unerring loyalty. Her first and only allegiance was to her princess.

Underlying that thought, being free while Azula was in prison felt wrong. To be frank-it disgusted her.

She was responsible for a fraction of the crimes Azula got credit for.

So was Mai for that matter.

But Azula was the only one still paying for them.

The princess was bearing the weight of the world on her shoulders, and Ty Lee was playing dress up with Suki.

Suddenly she felt nauseous.

"Ty Lee are you okay?" Suki's steadying hand held her upright before she could keel over. She was seconds away from upheaving her breakfast. She was certainly not okay. Her body was betraying her, exposing all of her guilt and self deprecating emotions. She felt _miserable._

"No." She said, her voice an agonized whisper.

"What's wrong hun?" Suki asked, gently pushing a stray strand of hair back behind Ty Lee's ear. The acrobat flinched at the familiar touch, and the hand drew away, falling to her side.

"I miss Azula…" Ty Lee admitted unabashedly. "I hate that she's still locked up."

Suki's mouth dropped open in shock, her expression resembling that of a fish. Ty Lee waited for her friend to gather herself, and eventually the unbridled shock turned into poorly contained surprise and then into pure defiance. "Ty Lee, Azula's not a good person." The Kyoshi warrior informed her, her tone a lot chillier than it had been a second ago.

Azula brought out the worst in people.

"I know." Ty Lee murmured.

"She deserves to be locked up." Suki continued stubbornly.

"I know." Ty Lee agreed with her, but only for a second. "But so do I."

"You're different." Suki tried to object, but Ty Lee shook her head refusing to listen to the false niceties pouring from her friend's mouth.

"I'm not. I did terrible things too." Ty Lee's smile wavered and her eyes turned glassy. "I hurt people, just like she did. I killed people just like she did. Everything she did-I'm also guilty of because I helped her."

"Ty Lee…" Suki trailed off unsure of what to add.

Ty Lee sniffled a little. "Don't get me wrong-Azula's attitude could use some polishing. She's mean, and no matter what you do she'll burn you because that's all she knows, but of all the people in the world that participated in the war-the least casualties happened when she was around. But somehow, she ended up with the worst punishment of us all. It's not fair…"

Only silence answered her.

It was usually the action she received when defending Azula.

"Alright Ty Lee, I'll send a letter to Zuko."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx(We interrupt this journal entry to bring you…more bad news)xxxxxxX

_Meanwhile right when Azula first started reading…._

Aang burst into Lady Grey's private quarters his face flushed, and his breath coming in quick heavy pants. He'd sprinted all the way here, and even with gusts of wind quickening his steps he was tired. He'd pushed Appa for the majority of the night to arrive in Safe Haven, and as soon as his sky bison landed, he'd darted into the palace swift as a lightning bolt.

"What's wrong Avatar?"

Lady Grey's stormy gaze fixed on him-quiet, measuring. She wasn't expecting him, but she didn't show surprise or shock at his unplanned arrival. Even though he was positive she'd been asleep a few minutes ago, her appearance was pristine and her gaze calcuting and coherent like always.

"Where's Toph?" He demanded, his voice rushed and uncharacteristically authoritative.

"Right here." A dry voice grumbled behind him. He turned around and came nose to nose with his earthbending teacher. Unlike her masked counterpart Toph's appearance was one comprised of pure chaotic disarray. Her clothes were wrinkled, and her long raven colored hair stuck out in several directions. She looked like she just rolled out of bed. As if to confirm this thought she poked him hard in the chest. "What did I say about stampeding through this estate like a retarded Rhino-boar? People are trying to sleep." She snapped at him.

Normally Aang would have taken offense and offered a stuttering apology but he wasn't feeling up to it today. "Sorry, but this was important."

The earthbender frowned at his words. "Why are you here Twinkle Toes?" She cut herself off abruptly. Her nose wrinkled as she plaintively sniffed the air. "You reek of Katara." She huffed, rolling her eyes.

The airbender blushed painfully than cleared his throat.

"I'm here to tell you about Ty Lee. Did you know Zuko plans on foregoing a burial for her? He's going to leave her body out for the crows to feed on." Aang bit out quickly, hoping to force the idea down their throat so they could take some time to acclimate themselves to it.

A dreadful silence ensued after his words-one that was only broken when Toph's fist slammed into the wall beside her, shattering the surface of the stone, and leaving a huge dent.

"That bastard did what?" Aang winced as Toph's temper flared dangerously.

The earthbender rarely ever resorted to vulgarity. When she did-it meant she was infuriated beyond belief.

"Are you sure Avatar?" Lady Grey asked sharply, her voice strained.

"I'm positive." He affirmed, his gaze steely and unrelenting. He'd traveled the distance from the Fire Nation Capital to Safe Haven in the span of a few hours to deliver this message. It was correct. Katara wouldn't lie to him…he hoped…

"Toph where are you going?" Lady Grey asked noticing his former Master's pained grimace as she began exiting the room. She didn't even bother turning back to look at her, she just paused in the doorway, her entire posture rigid.

"Someone has to go tell Azula." She said wearily.

Oh right.

Aang paled.

How would Azula react to this news?

"Maybe you should go with her." Lady Grey told him, her tone apologetic. That was literally the last thing he wanted to do. However, he couldn't say no. Aang licked his suddenly dry lips and slowly followed Toph out of the room. He hadn't seen Azula in years, not since the war. He wondered what she looked like now-or if she had changed. Toph never spoke of her, and neither did Lady Grey so he didn't know what to expect as they came upon the door to Toph's quarters.

The blind earthbender grunted unhappily, before cracking the door open. "Azula." She called out, and Aang blinked as the blue light that had been illuminating the room suddenly flickered out of existence. He'd only seen it briefly, but it was enough to reassure him the princess' firebending was still intact.

Clearly Azula was here, he stared blindly into the darkness unable to see the princess or Toph anymore.

"What do you want?"

Aang hung awkwardly in the door way, his heart clambering against his chest as that same voice spoke in the same vindictive tone it had ten years ago. The memories surfacing due to the princess' overwhelming presence hardly constituted as pleasant.

"We need to talk princess." Toph's voice filtered through the air, and Aang could practically feel the tension riddling through her frame, just by how she spoke.

No one liked being the bearer of bad news.

At her ominous words the former princess laughed, in a way that conveyed very little amusement. "I've had my fill of you for the day. Get out." She said icily, and Aang suddenly found the floor the most interesting thing in the world as he waited for Toph to unleash hell on the Firebender.

Toph never took scathing remarks lightly.

By nature-the earthbender was resilient. She always stood her ground and returned hostility tenfold. People learned quickly to never cross her.

So when Toph did the opposite of what he was expecting, and stifled her growing frustration-he wasn't sure how to react. "Oh believe me, I would love to." Toph said, in a tone that suggested she was talking through grit teeth. "But I can't, because than no one could tell you what was going on with Ty Lee."

"Is your memory defective too? You already told me about the funeral." Azula said frostily.

"It's not about the fune-" Toph started to correct her, before she was rudely cut off again.

"Then what is it about?" Azula asked her voice tight and filled with exasperation. By this time her temper was hanging on by a dangerously thin thread.

"Well if you **shut up** for ten seconds I could tell you." Toph snarked back testily, and Aang heard the earthbender shuffling around in the darkness. "Look princess…We just found out that your brother is not burying Ty Lee…he's leaving her out for the elements to destroy and the crows to feed on." She said bluntly.

Aang almost groaned.

Toph needed a lesson in tact, and perhaps in sensitivity.

Azula didn't need to hear the truth quite like that.

And the grim silence that followed Toph's words wasn't comforting.

"Azula?" He asked the silence.

He heard a crash, followed by a large boom, and was temporarily blinded by a blue flash.

Alarmed he conjured a flame, letting the small fire hover above his open palm, and waited for the spots cleared from his vision. When he wasn't suffering from temporary blindness anymore he turned his attention back to the princess. Peering into the newly lighted room, his eyes adjusted to the gentle glow of the flame and he blinked at the scene in front of him.

Azula lay on the ground, her eyes burning with unshed tears. She was lying haphazardly on her side, her arm hugged to her chest as Toph hovered over her, pressing her into the ground. The earthbender had a firm hold on her so the Firebender couldn't escape. The princess glared fiercely up at her captor whose grip only tightened on her shoulders.

"Princess, I said it once, but I'll say it again-you're an idiot."

Azula didn't reply.

She looked to stricken.

Too angry.

Aang felt sympathy welling up inside his chest.

"You can't just fly into a rage anymore. You remember what Kei said about pushing yourself-do you want to be paralyzed for the rest of your life?" The earthbender glared stonily at the ground next to her, her milky grey eyes staring through the inert princess instead of at her.

Azula laughed bitterly, and Aang swore he saw a tear roll down her cheek.

It could have been a trick of the light, but-That wasn't what really what astounded him. What happened next would remain seared into his memory forever. Instead of badgering the broken woman at her feet, Toph sighed despairingly and gently drew the emotionally exhausted woman to her till Azula's head rested in her lap. Then despite all logic and reason she began softly stroking the princess' head. The princess opened her mouth to protest, to scream, to hurl every demeaning insult at her disposal at the earthbender, but the only thing that escaped her lips was a choked sob.

Aang gaped at both of them, unsure of what to make of the scene.

Toph-who refused to coddle even her closest of friends, was comforting a princess who was supposed to be incapable of feeling emotion?

Was he hallucinating?

* * *

**And this is the chapter end...**

**Next chapter-I try and fix some things and make some things worse, but please give me some input on this chapter. How did you all feel about it? And Do you like the length? **

**The outline I plotted out makes the next few chapters this long if I don't find a way to shorten them. (Bleh ANOTHER 24 pages...)**

**Leave some love or hate-I dunno this chapter needs feedback. xD**


	10. Chapter 10

**Another 24 page chapter, Good Lord…Okay sorry this one is late, but I can't update every other day with chapters this length. From now on Make hell not war will be updated once a week or once every two weeks.**

**I have an explanation as to why this took so long at the bottom, and my response to reviews is also at the bottom so you guys can just enjoy the story instead of listening to me ramble xD**

**So read and Enjoy.**

* * *

"That's hi_larious_."

Was he laughing at her?

Toph glared in the direction of Navaro's voice. She concentrated on his hands as they gently grazed her own-taking extreme care not to place too much pressure on her burned flesh. She could feel his fingers shaking which told her he was laughing…The brat. Her protégé had returned a few hours ago from the outer edges of Safe Haven-he'd been delivering food to the people that were too old or too handicapped to acquire food from the market themselves. He'd borrowed Horatio and Onteel as pack mules for the delivery job.

Just recently they'd all returned-and now the teenage earthbender, the were-jaguars, Toph, and Lady Grey were all piled in one room discussing the events of the last 24 hours. Aang was in a separate area of the estate resting, and Azula was finally asleep after venting out all her rage and frustration on Toph. Eventually-the princess fell asleep in her arms, and Toph had deposited her into her futon.

After making sure Azula was fine, Toph invested her time in seeking out Lady Grey to talk. The masked monarch was easy to find, and had welcomed Toph's intrusion. Clearly Lady Grey could not sleep either. Navaro arrived in a timely manner not too long after she did. Then Toph was forced to inform them both of the long night she had. She'd gone to painstaking lengths to describe the last 24 hours to them. Navaro and Lady Grey had to be updated about Azula's condition after all. However, she made the mistake of telling them everything that had happened the previous night, and Navaro had been teasing her mercilessly ever since. She'd been considering mauling him for the past twenty minutes.

"It's not funny." She scowled in his direction, yanking her hand away from him. The quick motion made her wince, and she cradled her injured hand in her lap

"Toph, she burned you…then she cuddled with you. That's funny." He said, his tone lively and unrepentant. Her fingers twitched as she imagined them encircling around his scrawny neck. She'd never seen her protégé so she wasn't sure what he looked like, or how his body was structured, but his voice was youthful and energetic-belying his years. He reminded her of an overgrown child, which made her think he was thin…and easy to throttle.

Lady Grey chuckled softly at his words. "It is kind of amusing. You're not exactly a cuddler, General."

"I hate you both." Toph grumbled, tucking her burned hand in the folds of her black clothing to hide the mangled appendage. Despite her growing frustration with her friends, they made a valid point. Azula had done something distinctly out of character, and so had she. Toph was a firm believer in self sufficiency. She believed every awful insidious thing ever endured, had to be endured with tenacity. To her that meant-you didn't cry, you didn't wallow in depression, you didn't break down: You accepted your circumstances, and when they became unbearable you _changed_ them. Nothing irked her more than when someone chose to demurely accept their fate. Only weaklings rolled over submissively and allowed life's downfalls to own them. Only weaklings cracked under the pressure.

That's what Azula was doing.

She was cracking, and for the first time Toph found herself at a loss because despite any misconceptions she might have of the princess- Azula wasn't weak. The princess was many things; deceitful, manipulative, and cruel were just some of the words that could be used to characterize her- but she wasn't weak.

Azula had lost her home in the Fire Nation.

She'd lost Mai.

She'd lost Ty Lee.

She'd lost any claim to her throne, and any form of kinship she had with her brother and Uncle.

And then to further complicate things, she'd just lost the one thing that solidified her, that made her Azula-she'd lost the ability to fight. Even though they shared a murky history, Toph couldn't fault her for how she was feeling right now.

Azula was _hurting._

That's why last night, when the vindictive princess tried to lash out, Toph had intercepted her. She protected her from herself. She held her. Toph discarded everything she stood for, and comforted a woman who hated her, and she didn't regret it. She couldn't regret it, because for some reason-Toph could hear the faintest echoes of herself in Azula. If Toph had been placed in a similar position as the broken princess-if she had lost the ability to fight-she'd be devastated.

Azula was _**devastated. **_

And that's what Toph remembered about last night. She remembered the princess' fury-she remembered the scalding heat as Azula's flame ate at the flesh of her hands, and she remembered the princess' fabricated attitude dissolving into defeated sobs.

"I couldn't very well tell her to suck it up." Toph said finally, a tinge of annoyance coloring her tone. "Kei said she might never truly be able to firebend again. No amount of training is going to fix that, and finding out about Zuko's decision regarding Ty Lee did not help her at all."

The easy going atmosphere deteriorated. Tension filled the air, and Toph shifted as she felt her comrades exchange grave glances. "General," Lady Grey's soothing voice washed over the room, and Toph hummed in acknowledgment. "Azula has been here a little more than a week, and she's been dealing with one traumatic experience after another…how much more can she take of this?"

Toph frowned, her lips thinning in a line.

"I don't know." She responded truthfully.

Personally, she believed that Azula had the capacity to deal with every harrowing experience that threatened to devour her, but the princess had already been pushed past her limit. She'd endured death, heartache, and inconsolable grief. Asking her to endure much more might push her over the edge and despite what the princess would have them believe-she wasn't invulnerable.

"She's going to need an iron will in order to reach full recovery." Lady Grey remarked, and Toph heard the slight edge to her tone. Even now, the masked monarch was vying for Azula's life. For some inexplicable reason, she wanted the princess to get better, and she wanted Azula to have a future.

Toph found herself reluctantly mirroring that desire.

Azula deserved more than this.

"I don't know if her will is still intact." Navaro observed quietly, his words startling the two women. "She's strong, but I think part of her followed Bane to the grave, and what's left of her might not be able to survive the road ahead of her." The teenager finished on a contemplative note.

It was amazing how insightful he was despite his age.

"The boy has a point." Toph sent her protégé an appraising look. She was proud of his perceptiveness. Even though she couldn't see him, she was very aware of how astute he was. This was just another example of his bright intuitive nature. He had no qualms about voicing his opinion either.

She'd trained him so well.

"Well she's going to have to acclimate, because she can't stay the way she is…" Lady Grey mused out loud, and Toph felt a slight mistruth in her words. Azula could stay the way she was, but she wouldn't truly be living. She'd exist. She'd fit in the category as a living, breathing human-but she wouldn't exhibit any of the characteristics that defined a human being. Humans were driven by pride, by foolishness, by love, by lust, by desire, by pure hard headed stupidity-but what drove Azula? Why wasn't she dead? It wasn't for lack of trying, because death had brushed the princess so many times, one would think she was impervious to its embrace.

"I don't know what you expect from her." Toph shook her head at Lady Grey. "She's lost everything, and in any other circumstance she could survive on pride alone. However, in light of Kei's news, I don't know how long she's going to last. She'd have been less horrified if we chopped off both her arms and sent her on her merry way."

"What am I supposed to do General, put her out of her misery?" Lady Grey's voice resonated sharply in the room, bouncing angrily off the walls.

"I'm not saying that. I'm saying she might never recover, and that your expectations for her are too high. Even if we can nurse her back to full health, Azula won't thank us. She'll just become a more formidable enemy to look out for. She doesn't want our help Lady, and frankly-it's naïve to think she's going to change a lifetime of cruelty and hatred just because we helped her." Toph reasoned, her hands clenching into fists that she held loosely at her sides.

They were at an impasse it seemed.

Toph wasn't backing down.

Lady Grey was just as stubborn.

Silence ensued between them, and the blind earthbender's expression remained resolute. The more time she spent with Azula the less inclined she was to believe that the princess was all evil. In her own way, Azula was traumatized by Ty Lee's death. Someone that was completely evil didn't shed tears for someone else. Someone that was completely evil didn't crave to be held, and spend a whole night curled into a ball sobbing.

There was more to princess than just the surface interpretation of her.

Azula was an enigma.

"Are you scared of her?" Navaro's voice cut through the silence with all the precision of a blade.

Toph had almost forgotten that her student was here. He'd been unusually silent for the last few minutes.

"Scared of Azula?" She asked, just to be sure she understood his question.

"Yes. Are you?" He replied, his tone deceptively curious. He was trying to catch her off guard. Was he digging for a specific answer?

Was she scared of Azula?

An odd feeling welled up in her chest at the question. In the past she'd been worried because calamity followed the princess everywhere and she didn't want to lose any of her friends. Now she was concerned for the same reason, but was she personally afraid of Azula? No. Did she trust her? No. Did she want her to stay like this?

No…

"Please, I could never be afraid of that princess." Toph grinned, more than confidant in herself.

"I am." Lady Grey's voice was subdued as she admitted her fears to the two earthbenders. It was a stifling reminder for Toph to contain her ego. She may not fear Azula but that was because her own dealings with the princess differed from her companions. "She's of Ozai's line. Every bender from that family is capable of immense destruction, and Azula has so much of that man in her. Even if he dies in the Firelord's prison he's going to live on in her."

Navaro snorted, and Toph could imagine her student's cross expression. "I don't think Azula's like him."

"No?" Lady Grey asked, her tone wry and a tad amused.

Toph's protégé chuckled. "No, I think she's more dangerous than her father. She has the potential to do anything."

Lady Grey sighed disparagingly. "You would enjoy that immensely. I know you two revel in a challenge, but let's just pretend she's on our side. We don't want to fight her."

"I don't know if we have a choice." Toph mused quietly, and her fingers traced over the scorched flesh of her hands. "Even if she aligned herself with us…all she knows how to do is burn people. Even crippled, she still presents a legitimate threat to Safe Haven the longer we have her here.

"Even Bane admitted that." Navaro murmured.

Lady Grey was quiet, but her silence was purposeful and thoughtful. When she spoke her reply was eloquent, and passionate. "Bane understood Azula's capacity to hurt people. She understood Azula's nature better than any of us, and yet she died for her. There must be something in the princess worth preserving-something in her that deserves protecting otherwise Bane died for nothing."

"No," Navaro gently rebuked the masked monarch. "Azula may not know why Bane died for her, but we all know the truth."

Toph remembered the bubbly woman's tears when she heard of Azula's impending death. She remembered the reverent awe Ty Lee exhibited whenever Azula's name was mentioned. She remembered the broken quality to her voice whenever the acrobat recalled Azula's condition in prison.

"She died for love." Toph finished her student's thought, and her burned hands balled into clenched fists. "That doesn't make Azula a good person."

"No, but Bane loved her for a reason: She lived for her, she died for her, she defined herself by Azula. If the princess is capable of inciting that type of loyalty in the people around her-then don't you think there's more to her than what we're seeing right now?"

Toph huffed "I don't see anything." She reminded the masked monarch, her tone dry and unamused. However, the feel of Azula's frail form cradled in her arms as the princess dissolved into heart wrenching sobs stayed with her. The texture of Azula's silken strands of hair made her fingers tingle in remembrance, as she recalled stroking the broken woman's head.

There was more to Azula than any of them realized.

Maybe Ty Lee was onto something.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxX

Azula roused from her slumber, slipping uneasily into the waking world. Slowly but surely she garnered control of her disjointed limbs, and managed to sit up-keenly aware of how exhausted she felt. Her throat was parched. Her lips were dry and cracked. Her eyes were bloodshot from hours of sobbing until she had finally collapsed. Her body had succumbed to the emotional strain, and against her will crumpled into a devastated heap. She'd curled into that woman…that accursed earthbender, and sought comfort from her.

It was disgraceful.

Not once in her entire existence had anyone been privy to her tears. Her pain was hers, and hers alone to endure. She didn't need people with their trite reassurances: _Everything is going to be okay. It all heals in time. There's always a new day. The sun shines the brightest just after a storm._

All lies.

Nothing more than meaningless sounds that passed through their lips to fill the silence.

Words meant absolutely nothing to her now.

They were worthless.

Powerless.

Just like she was.

Ironically, the blind earthbender hadn't said anything to that effect. Azula was expecting some derogatory names, and a few curses for losing control of herself and breaking down, for being weak in that insufferable woman's presence. She wasn't expecting to be held, or comforted. It irked her when people didn't react the way she expected them to, and the Avatar's earthbending master was constantly surprising her. No one had ever taken such a familiar stance with her. People revered her. They were petrified of her. They did not empathize with her.

They didn't stroke her head, and wipe her tears away.

They didn't stay with her till she fell asleep, and put her in their futon.

They just didn't…

But Toph did.

And she couldn't fathom why.

No one was acting as she expected them to. Lady Grey, whoever she was, treated her kindly with the utmost respect. She didn't dictate anything to her-simply allowed her to make her own choices regardless of the history she shared with her allies. Her companion and fellow ruler, the infamous General doted on her: made sure she had food, and water and never treated her like an invalid. The blind earthbender was just one of several enigmas she couldn't comprehend.

Toph didn't ostracize her from the world, nor did she attempt to make Azula miserable like the princess would have done had their roles been reversed. Instead the earthbender strove to rebuild her. She pushed her to see her infirmity, and in doing so learn what strengths she still had.

Azula hated her for it.

She had lived under the illusion she was flawless-that she was the embodiment of perfection for so long that accepting she was not invulnerable, and accepting that she had viable weaknesses was killing her.

Examining herself in the harsh light of day- Azula found one truth to be inescapable-one truth to be absolute: She was only human. Despite the misguided hubris she'd governed her life by she couldn't walk on water. She didn't own the world, and she couldn't break the laws of human nature.

She'd come to accept these chilling facts.

She was slowly coming to terms with being flawed _and_ limited.

What she couldn't accept, what she refused to accept was this new state she found herself in. Even without Toph's aid, Azula was starting to see just how broken she was. Every part of her that used to cinch together perfectly was now in chaotic disarray. The same inherent cruelty that helped steady her, that helped mold her hardly surfaced anymore. Her logic frequently deserted her. She regularly found herself overwhelmed with emotions over the simplest tasks.

She felt so unbalanced…

What really tripped her up though, wasn't the poor grasp she had on her emotions-no the real bonus was, in all of this madness she had so little control-so little power-that she could practically feel herself getting dependant on the people around her. With every passing day she could feel herself getting more comfortable with Toph, and Lady Grey, and even that stripling earthbender-Navaro.

She'd grown accustomed to seeing them.

Hearing them.

Arguing with them.

And it had only been a week and a half since her arrival.

She cursed her weakness. For a fraction of a second, she could admit that it felt nice to have people to rely on again: For a fraction of a second she could admit that being here wasn't horrible and she needed the help. For a fraction of a second she could even admit that she was terrified of the future.

Then that second passed, and reality crashed into her hard.

Ozai had groomed her to be relentless.

She didn't need any of these people.

Her lip curled back in disgust, and her clenched fist slammed against the edge of her pillow. She flinched as her bare knuckles grazed the edge of the battered journal hidden beneath it.

"_You were my princess 'Zula…No one can take what's yours by birth." _

Her breath hitched in her throat, and Azula closed her eyes.

She didn't need Ty Lee either.

She never had.

But Agni, did she want her around…

The traitorous thought ghosted across the surface of her mind before she could stop it, and the princess took a shaky breath. Ty Lee was gone, as was Mai. Anyone that had any relevance to her life was gone. Unconsciously, her hand slid under the pillow, gripping the edge of the journal and pulling it out. She traced the battered edge with her fingers, an absentminded expression on her face.

Even her mother's absence hadn't eviscerated her heart like this.

For the first time Azula found herself aching for people that weren't here.

"Someone just kill me now." She grumbled, completely done with these conflicting thoughts and emotions. Grief, raw and unparalleled laced through her limbs and Azula simply closed her eyes, accepting the barrage of emotions gracefully. Her pride dictated that she disregard these baseless feelings. They had no worth, and only served to further weaken her.

She couldn't ignore them though.

She was too exhausted.

For the first time in years she looked exactly how she felt: like absolute hell.

She was too tired to try and discern what the correct course would be, what path wouldn't ruin her, and what path would guide her through this mess…

Times were so much simpler when she had the upper hand.

The world wasn't spinning out of control then.

Tiredly, she opened the journal to where she left off the day before, her eyes eagerly drinking in Ty Lee's familiar scrawl. She needed a distraction, and the journal had already proved to be a welcome one. It was…enlighting.

_Azula you won't believe the strings Suki managed to pull. She had Zuko privatize an airship for me so I can come visit you once a week…I believe his words were something along the lines of "I believe you can help my sister with her agitated mental state." He doesn't know you very well does he 'Zula?"_

_ #$% $^ #$%&*&(*&(&*$%% Q#$ %#$^% & $#%$% ^$%&^%& #$% _

Ty Lee walked down the eerie hallway, every subsequent step making sound bounce off the walls in a cacophony of dissonant noise meant to terrify anyone that walked down this long row of cells. Zuko really did want to dissuade people from visiting Azula-not that there were many that dared to check up on the princess. Azula didn't really appreciate visitors.

Not that Ty Lee's self preservation instincts were intact anyways.

When it came to Azula she was helpless.

She had to see her- she had to know she was okay-no matter what the cost to herself was.

And associating with the former princess always came at a high price.

Azula's moods were always tumultuous. They shifted like the ebb and flow of the tide and had to be ridden out like a storm. Ty Lee, after years of grinning in the combative woman's presence, could boast that she was an expert on all things Azula. She knew her better than she knew herself.

Azula wasn't keen on people, but she needed them.

If Ty Lee didn't visit her, the princess would continue to crumble.

It was with that thought she entered Azula's hellish abode, hoping that she would be met with something besides those same emotionless amber eyes. As always the stench was the first, and worst thing she had to endure. The guards had yet to thoroughly clean Azula's cell, and she wondered if they ever would. She supposed their mind functioned differently than hers, since her thoughts always orbited around Azula. The princess was her sun. She needed her the same way she needed air.

They didn't though.

Azula's caretakers didn't need her-nor did they want her.

Azula was just a problem to them.

"Hey 'Zula." She greeted the darkness softly knowing the crazed monarch could hear her behind the bars of her prison. Shallow scrapes against the stone floor signaled the princess was moving, and a second later Ty Lee saw that same icy gaze that ruled her world, slowly perusing the confines of the jail cell. She inhaled sharply when that predatory gaze came to rest upon her, piercing her soul, unearthing all her secrets, and casually measuring her in one distant glare.

The princess said nothing.

Not a word-not a _syllable_ left her mouth.

Ty Lee had expected the resentful silence. Azula still thought she was a traitor, and in way she had ruined the bond of trust between them. In Azula's mind, she'd picked Mai and her brother over her. She'd changed sides, and done so with the same eternal grin that defined her. Ty Lee always had a reason to smile, whether it was because of Azula, or because she was too scared to feel anything else. Hiding behind playful grins, and light hearted giggles was her way of surviving. It was her perfect mask, and right now Ty lee couldn't stomach wearing it.

She cleared her throat awkwardly, a solemn expression etched on her face. "Hey 'Zula, remember when we were kids and we went to the Fire Nation Academy together? Before we met Mai? You punched me when we met, and after that I kept following you around…" Her gaze misted over as the familiar memories surfaced.

It seemed like ages ago.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxX

**10 years ago**

_An eight year old Ty Lee sat on a rock, her feet kicking restlessly through the air. Every few moments her gaze would slide across the street to where Azula was practicing her Fire Kata's a look of absolute concentration on her face, before shooting back to the ground where she kicked up large clouds of dust. She didn't want to stare too long. If Azula caught her looking it would put her in a mood again. She couldn't help it though. To be honest, the look was kinda cute on the princess, although it intimidated the rest of the kids. Ty Lee giggled to herself, her lips curving upward into a smile._

_She'd been doggedly following Azula around for the past two weeks, just for fun. The princess was in her class at the Fire Nation academy, so it was inevitable that they would see each other. Ty Lee went out of her way to spend time with her after class though too and relentlessly tried to get in the firebender's head._

_Azula found her efforts to be pointless and told Ty Lee to piss off…_

_Every day._

_Sometimes every hour._

_Still the acrobat-in-training trailed after her, determined to make friends with her._

_It was a long and painful process, and every time she managed to get the princess to speak to her-Azula managed to finish the conversation by saying something acidic, her voice dripping with sarcasm, or she left Ty Lee with a new and colorful bruise or a third degree burn._

_She'd learned a few things though:_

_She learned that Azula's father was not a nice man. He trained Azula till the princess was beyond the point of exhaustion, and even then he still pushed her._

_Azula was expected to accomplish every task given to her efficiently, and she must be perfect in her execution._

_She learned that Azula herself, had her fair amount of bruises and scars._

_She learned that Azula had a brother that couldn't measure up to her._

_She also learned that Azula's mother thought she was a monster._

_Actually, Azula's mother was a sore subject for her, and was the main reason Ty Lee had acquired so many wounds over the last two weeks. She was insufferably curious, and wouldn't stop pushing for information._

_Ty Lee's most recent collection of injuries were hidden beneath the several intricate layers of her Academy uniform. The confining clothing was uncomfortable, and when she shifted it caught against her wounds and made her inhale sharply. For the most part she was almost healed but there was still one mark on her arm that was an angry red color. _

_It throbbed each time the silk casually brushed against it and Ty Lee found herself hiding winces regularly._

_It was a constant reminder of how volatile the Crown princess was._

_Ty Lee couldn't bring herself to stay away from her though. There was something about Azula that just drew her in. She was unlike anyone Ty Lee had ever seen before, and even though the princess was only eight herself, she exuded confidence, and a grace that no child should possess. _

_Simply put, Azula's presence was addicting._

_Her gaze trailed over to the princess again, and her smile grew wider._

"_Hey you!" _

_Ty Lee blinked owlishly, drawn out of her Azula centered reverie. Her head whipped around looking for whoever was speaking. She paused in kicking up dust, as her gaze came to linger on a boy who appeared to be her age. He was tall and wiry, and his eyes were locked angrily on her face._

"_Yes?" She asked, chuckling, as further inspection of his appearance allowed her to see a thin layer of dust covering his uniform. He was covered in dirt._

_Did she do that?_

"_You just kicked a bunch of dirt at me." He said his voice low and petulant. He crossed his arms indignantly in front of him, and Ty Lee struggled not to laugh at him again. Apparently she did do that. Stifling a giggle she agilely leapt off her rock landing lightly on her feet in front of him._

"_Sorry about that." She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly._

"_No you're not." He scowled, and before she realized he'd moved he was shoving her hard. She winced as her back slammed into the rock she'd been sitting on, and she hissed in pain as her arm protested violently at the abuse. She ducked out of the way as he continued to assault her, a fist slamming into the wall where her head had been seconds previously. Eyes wide she flew into a flip dodging past him, just like she'd been training to do for the last few weeks and landed shakily on her feet. _

"_What's your problem?" She panted, her hands shaking at her sides. She'd never been in a fight before. She was keenly aware of a crowd gathering around them, and suddenly the angry boy had friends. At least three other boys with dark beady eyes flanked him, and Ty Lee took a step back, but found her path blocked by the crowd._

_Her heart hammered wildly against her chest._

_She was well trained in the art of dodging. She was flexible, and fast, but she'd just started learning which pressure points could incapacitate an opponent. She was being trained, but none of the moves she knew were good for battle, and with the crowd edging closer the space she could maneuver in to dodge was extremely limited. _

_Her mouth suddenly felt dry, and she wondered idly if she could dodge these three boys until they got tired and left her alone._

_These stupid people were so attuned violence they were gonna get her killed!_

_She blinked as the first boy that she kicked dust on suddenly dove at her. She tensed and her head fell back letting his wild swing pass over her. She felt the air rush by her face, and a small yelp escaped her as fire arched from his fist this time. The scent of singed hair filled the street, as some of her bangs flaked to the ground. She watched morosely as they hit the pavement before artfully dodging the next swing by leaping high into the air while tucking her knees to her chest and letting a scalding barrage of flame scorch the streets below her._

_The crowd of kids cheered wildly as she fell unsteadily to the ground, safe from the flames that would have left long jagged burns along her legs. She wasn't safe from the other two boys that decided to finally join the fight though. Ty Lee blinked her eyes darting left and right as they came at her from both sides. She clenched her fists helplessly. She couldn't dodge them both-so she was going to have to take a hit._

_Bracing herself, she twisted away from one plume of flame shooting towards her, narrowly missing the fire fanning out next to her and held her arms high to protect herself from the second attack. She closed her eyes expecting to feel some of her flesh scorched away, and was shocked a minute later when she felt…nothing?_

_She lowered her arms and glanced warily around._

_What just happened?_

_Her mouth dropped open as the scene in front of her registered to her stunned brain. Azula was standing over the second attacker, her foot pressed into his throat. Her hand was held directly above his face and an azure flame hovered just above her palm, licking her fingers._

"_Tsk tsk," Azula admonished, pressing down on the boy's larynx. His eyes popped out and he gurgled breathlessly, clawing at the boot suffocating him. "I think you overreacted." She mused shaking her head, whilst ignoring his struggles. "I mean…Don't get me wrong-Ty Lee's as annoying as they get, but if you're going to fight her-__**you**__ fight her. Having your entire posse gang up on her…" She shook her head in disappointment. "That's pathetic." _

_The boy who had started this whole mess stepped forward, his attention no longer on Ty Lee. He glared daggers at Azula, who had yet to release his captured companion. "This has nothing to do with you** princess**-stay out of it."_

_Ty Lee gaped at him._

_Did he just snap at Azula?_

_Oh, dear._

_Judging from her annoyed expression the same thought had just flickered across Azula's mind. Casually, the eight year old princess removed her boot from the boy's throat, and with a terrifying calm began walking towards her antagonist. The newly released boy gasped, inhaling huge lungfuls of air, and sniffled a bit as he tried to hold back tears._

"_Wrong, peasant." Azula sneered, her tone testy and condescending. "She is my business. Just like you're my business. I'm the Crown princess of the Fire Nation. Everything here is my business, and if I say you're being a spineless coward, and making the Fire Nation look bad-than that's exactly what you are." By this time Azula was within arm's reach of the boy, and he had shrunken into himself at her words-his eight year old ego completely deflated. Azula's impenetrable gaze never left him though, and she leaned in her tone low and threatening. "And if I catch you…Or your disgusting friends ever doing this again I will end you. Are we clear?" _

_He nodded quickly, a sick expression creeping across his face._

"_Good." She drawled and waved him off lazily. "Run along now…go play with your dolls or something." _

_The boy was off like a shot, and his friends quickly took off after him. The one Azula traumatized had a small limp and trailed quietly behind them. The princess shook her head in amusement. Slowly she turned to look at the crowd that was still watching her, jaws ajar. They couldn't believe how callous the princess was. She'd threatened those boys with no regard for Fire Nation law or etiquette all for the sake of appearances?_

_She quirked a questioning brow at the crowd. "Leave." Azula demanded._

_And just like that the kids began finding other things to do. They dissembled almost immediately, drifting off down the street in search of their parents, or other things to occupy themselves with._

_That left Ty Lee alone with Azula._

_She wasn't sure what to do or say now…_

_Azula didn't wait for her to gather her scattered thoughts though. She took control of the situation like always, and turned to glare at her. Ty Lee stiffened as those penetrating amber pools enthralled her. "You have got to be the most bothersome creature I've ever met." The princess observed coolly, a hint of annoyance coloring her tone._

_Ty Lee smiled tentatively. "Sorry?" _

_Azula studied her a moment longer before exhaling noisily. "I don't understand you." _

_Ty Lee blinked, and tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What do you mean?" She asked, completely befuddled by her most recent actions and her declaration._

"_Those boys, they were easy to understand. So are the kids at the school, and the teachers. They're scared of me because my father's the Firelord and I have the power to ruin them. Why aren't you? I've burned and bruised you who knows how many times, and you still insist on following me, and smiling all the time. What's wrong with you?" Azula asked bluntly, frustration making her voice come out harsh, and unforgiving._

_Ty Lee's smile thinned into one long line as she thought about Azula's question. Why wasn't she scared of her? Maybe her instincts were broken…She bit her lip, and glanced up at the princess who was still staring at her expectantly. "You said it yourself…you're the Crown princess. You're responsible for me, right? Should I be scared of you?"_

"_Yes. You should." Azula intoned darkly, her face blank._

_Ty Lee grinned brightly. _

"_But if I'm scared of you, we can't be friends." She protested, unable to keep the horror out of her voice. She really wanted to be Azula's friend._

"_I don't want friends." Azula threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. Fed up with her, the princess turned and began to walk away. Ty Lee hummed thoughtfully, surprised at the vehement protest from the princess. Who doesn't want friends? She thought about everything she'd learned about Azula in the last couple of weeks, and she concluded that the only people who didn't want friends were the ones that didn't have any. _

_That made the decision for her. Giggling she ran up beside Azula so they were walking side by side._

"_You may not want any, but I do. You're stuck with me."_

_Azula glanced sideways at her, her expression cold and measuring before she turned away with an unhappy snort. "Agni help us all." _

"_This is going to be fun." Ty Lee cheered._

"_Not if you keep babbling-it won't. This is could have been avoided if I let him pummel your face in."_

_Ty Lee couldn't help but smile at the ornery response._

_Grumpy Azula was cute too._

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxX

She finished talking, the memory seamlessly falling back into the darkest crevices of her brain. Sometime during the retelling of her story, Azula's attention had focused entirely on her. The princess wasn't impressed it seemed by ancient history, and although her eyes were attentive, her expression was bored.

Finally after an eternity of silence, the former princess spoke.

"You came back." Azula's voice was hollow, lacking virility.

Ty Lee winced at the dead tone. She was looking for a different reaction, but she would take whatever she could get. "I did." She whispered quietly, her gaze drawn to Azula's spindly form as the former princess detached herself from the shadows. Azula looked terrible-underfed, undernourished, and physically exhausted. Every move cost the princess an inane amount of effort and her shoulders sagged with fatigue. Beneath her eyes heavy bruises signified just how little Azula cared about rest, and rejuvenating herself.

Agni help her.

Her best friend was wasting away in this little prison cell while she flourished in Kyoshi Island.

Ty Lee shifted uneasily in her acrobat uniform, suddenly finding the bright pink attire inappropriate. It almost felt like she was taunting the princess with her freedom, and her cheeks flushed with guilt and shame. Everything she did managed to torture Azula in some way…

"I thought I told you to leave." The princess reminded her flatly, clearly unable to divine Ty Lee's reason for suddenly appearing in front of her cell.

"You did." Ty Lee murmured, twining her fingers together nervously as she sat in front of the cage.

"And not come back." Azula expanded on her earlier dismissal, sending Ty Lee a look so cold it made her heart stop. For a second the acrobat could do nothing but fiddle with her fingers, and become lost in the amber pools admonishing her. Azula herself, wasn't very expressive but her eyes always clued someone in to exactly how she was feeling, and right now the harsh severity in that gaze was enough to curb her enthusiasm for being here.

"You might have mentioned that." Ty Lee responded carefully. She was trying to not to antagonize Azula. Not today. Not now.

Her efforts were in vain though because a second later-a frustrated hiss left the princess' lips. "Then why are you here again?"

Ty Lee thought about it for a minute.

A small, sad, smile graced her features.

"I'm here because you're my princess Azula. You're stuck with me, remember?"

Ty Lee let her absorb this, and although it was a subtle, a small change shifted across the princess' face. For a minute her expression smoothed, and the animalistic edge darkening her gaze melted away. Azula looked almost coherent. Her eyes were bright and the lines in her face were gone. Long auburn tresses haloed her face in matted tangles of hair, and Ty Lee watched completely mystified as Azula tore through the haze fogging her mind.

For a minute, Azula was completely lucid.

Achingly familiar amber eyes turned toward her, studying her in the same invasive penetrating way only Azula could. It was a stark reminder of the old days when Azula looked invincible. Awed and humbled at the change, Ty Lee stumbled over to the bars of the cage-her legs suddenly feeling like jelly.

"Azula.." She rasped, her voice wistful and yearning as her hands closed around the metal bars separating them.

Azula blinked at the sound of her name, tilting her head to the side like Ty Lee had just switched languages, falling into another dialect.

Then with stunning clarity, the princess opened her mouth, uttering three simple words that would haunt Ty Lee for years to come.

"I hate you."

*( $* &03498 #$ $% % #%$^#$&^ ^7 #% #(Journal entry end)

"_I dunno Azula…I think of all things you've said to me, that is what stuck with me the longest. It was easy to go with the flow when you said something about my clothes, or when you insulted my intelligence. I could handle that because it was you…I could handle anything from you 'Zula, but I couldn't handle you hating me…it hurt far too much._

Azula snapped the journal shut with a soft click.

She remembered that incident.

She found the found the acrobat's presence unbearable at the time.

She was just so…sick of hearing about the past. When she was in that cell, the last thing she wanted to remember was her childhood. Her history was by no means pleasant, but it was better than rotting in her own waste any day. She didn't have the patience to listen to, what seemed to be a fairy tale.

Those times were gone.

Although, looking back…having Ty Lee around made things easier.

Grunting softly, she rubbed her throbbing temple.

"I see you're still reading."

Surprise rippled across her features before she could stop it. When did Toph get here? Once again her senses were not functioning the way they were supposed to. She didn't even hear the earthbender enter the room. Frowning at her own inattentiveness she slipped the journal back under her pillow, so she could finish reading its contents at a later date.

"You can't see." She pointed out rudely, hoping the earthbender would just leave. Her gaze became even more wary as the were-jaguar from before trotted into the room, and sat compliantly against his master, staring curiously in Azula's direction.

She wasn't in the mood for this right now.

Toph gasped dramatically, her hands frantically patting over her face. "What? I'm blind?" She mocked surprise, her expression aghast. "My whole life is a lie." She muttered pitifully.

How childish.

To her surprise Azula found her lips cracking upwards into a small unwilling smile before she wiped her face clean of all emotions. She immediately squashed the amused feeling, hating how little control she had of herself.

Toph was stupid.

"What do you want?" She asked churlishly, hoping to drive the woman out of the room. The blunt woman was the last person she wanted to see.

Smirking, the earthbender threaded her fingers through the were-jaguars fur, and Azula watched with narrowed eyes as the beast began to purr happily. "Just checking up that's all, and I need to remind you that Ty Lee's funeral is in two days."

Whatever Azula had been about to say died in her throat.

Funeral and Ty Lee shouldn't even be in the same sentence.

Her hand's clenched in the sheets.

"Fine." Azula said shortly, her tone dismissive.

Toph lingered in the doorway for a second, as if listening for another reaction. When she heard none she sighed quietly and turned to leave the room- Before she even left the threshold Azula's mouth betrayed her, insisting she ask the question on her mind.

"Why did you do that?"

Toph paused in the door frame, and glanced back at Azula her milky green eyes cautious. "Do what?"

Azula rolled her eyes at the feigned ignorance. "Don't play stupid. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Toph said nothing and closed her eyes, as if weighing the pros and cons of speaking. Finally after sitting in silence for a couple of minutes, just as Azula's impatience was at its end, the blind earthbender spoke.

"I did it because you needed it."

And with that she left the room, leaving Azula alone with her thoughts again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

After leaving Azula's room, Toph strode down the hallway, Onteel hot on her heels. The beast was always needy after he returned from hanging out with Navaro. She found his clingy-ness endlessly amusing. Just as she found her situation with Azula somewhat amusing, Azula had no idea how to react to her. Clearly, Toph's actions beguiled her, and she found that to be ironic because she was just as confused by the princess.

She was not the same princess she remembered.

She wasn't even the same person.

Or maybe Toph just never knew her.

Come to think of it, no one really did.

Filing that thought away for later, she passed by her room that was still in shambles, and managed to withhold a wince. At some point, she was going to have to fix that. She couldn't keep sleeping in Azula's room. She'd moved her bedroll, and her basic supplies into the princess' room because it was easier to just stay with someone else till she found the time to repair the place Azula had completely destroyed, and Azula was the obvious choice because she was supposed to be looking out for the princess anyways.

Finally arriving at her destination, she knocked on a stone door, and a second later the earth blocking her path shifted, and disappeared into the ground, leaving an opening for her to walk through.

"Hey Twinkle Toes." She greeted her old friend who yawned sleepily in response.

He was only half-awake.

The flight to Safe Haven had completely wiped him and Appa out.

However, that didn't stop him from using Shindoku, and telling her he needed to speak to her later. She had listened to the words as he tapped them out against the wall, before hearing him slump into his futon—succumbing to fatigue. Over the years her hearing had improved, and now she was privy to all sorts of sounds, even if they're far away.

"Hey Toph." He murmured tiredly.

"What's up?" She asked, plopping into the dirt and sitting cross legged, while Aang tried to make himself more coherent. Vying for attention Onteel slithered into her lap and tried to force her to pet him. She ignored him.

"Nothing much…I just needed someone to talk to." He said helplessly.

Mentally, Toph sighed. She hated when he started conversations like this. Usually it meant his morals had been jeopardized, and as much as she loved the dorky monk-his black and white view of the world was hard to work around. He had trouble wrapping his mind around the grey area.

Nothing was simple.

"Well I am here." She said reluctantly.

"I just," He frowned searching for the right words. "Toph, what do you do when you start to doubt the people around you?" He asked, a look of hopeless confusion on his face. Clearly, he'd been agonizing over this question for a long time, and knowing Aang it'd been eating at his conscience for an even longer time.

Toph wondered who exactly he was beginning to doubt: Katara? Zuko? His actions in the Fire Nation capital had helped them free Azula. Aang had finally picked a side, but his heart was too big. Betraying his friends was killing him, and maybe he regretted his actions. Maybe he still thought their old friends were redeemable.

Toph held no such optimism.

Her mind whirled, as she thought of a way to answer his question. "Investigate." She suggested, before elaborating further. "Whoever you're doubting, talk to them. You have to be careful who you surround yourself with, but if they're important to you-talk to them. If they have nothing to hide they won't lie about their intentions." She reasoned.

He absorbed her words quietly.

Meditated on them a second.

A rueful smile crept across his face, and she could hear the laughter in his voice."All this time, and you're still teaching me."

Toph snorted, "You're an airhead. I don't have very high hopes for you." She chuckled.

"Well, what about you? You're a…" He trailed off uncertainly. A minute ticked by, then two.

Toph stared blankly in his direction. "Yes?"

Silence answered her and Toph suppressed an evil smile with effort. "You can't think of anything can you?"

Aang huffed miserably. "You're…a good person?"

Toph laughed, and shook her head in disappointment. "Twinkle Toes you suck at this game."

"Fine fine." He said loftily, and changed the subject. "Enough about me. How's Azula? Is she..better today?" He asked, his tone curious. Of course Aang would ask about her, he was genuinely concerned for her health just like Lady Grey was.

Toph let her fingers drum against her knee as she tried to think of a simple way to answer that. "She's fine, upset still, and hurt-but she's as well as can be expected." Toph forced out a truthful response, Azula's broken voice filtering across her mind.

"…You're really taking her seriously." Aang observed quietly, startling Toph from her train of thought.

"What do you mean?" Her brows furrowed in confusion.

Aang was talking nonsense again.

"I mean, you're making sure she eats and drinks. You stop her from hurting herself. Yesterday you comforted her. I've never seen you so patient with someone before, and it's just odd that Azula's getting that sort of treatment from you because she's always trying to instigate something."

Toph's frown deepened at his words.

"Is that so surprising?" She asked, finally acquiescing to Onteel's unspoken command and stroking the beast's head.

"Uh…yeah." Aang said, his words sounding suspiciously like a "duh."

"Aang, I don't think you understood me before. I told you I look out for everything that's mine. Azula's welfare is my job. It doesn't matter that Ty Lee and Lady Grey are the ones that asked me to take care of her. What matters is that right now, Azula is mine to protect."

Toph's eyes flashed, and a smirk stretched across her face. "Even if it's from herself."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxX

* * *

**Finally, this chapter is done, and it took forever because:**

**I had nosey ass cousins roll into town from Michigan and I chilled with them all week. We saw the Grand Canyon for the first time and I was like….o.o..It's a giant ass hole in the ground-SOMEONE FALL PLEASE. I've lived in Arizona 18 years and never seen the Grand Canyon.**

**Also, I had an emotional breakdown, that screwed me up for days. I basically got told to get off my lazy arse and do things, by my mother's 40 year old roommate. Yunno when you get a lecture from someone you don't really know and you kind of want to choke them afterwards because they just made a whole bunch of assumptions about you while acting like their shit doesn't stink? Yeah…He said I'm not doing anything with my life. I'm wasting my potential. I'm only 18- so I don't know shit and I haven't experienced anything. I was like DUDE you're leeching off my mom and sleeping on her fucking couch. You treat her like crap, and she's supposedly your best friend. Why in god's name would I want advice from you? And for your information jack ass, I'm going to college and getting a job which is more than your doing. What else do you expect me to do?...He actually told me to go find the cure to cancer, and I walked out and took a five mile walk after that. :/**

**Oh yeah, and I got distracted because an author I respect immensely story alerted this fic- I swear to god I did a happy dance when I saw the email xD**

**But yeah, as for reviews:**

**Blue Lion: You're right, I've been avoiding getting a betareader, even though I need one. I'm usually fine with plot ideas and making the sentences flow, but in areas like punctuation and grammar, I fail. Terribly. I haven't gotten a beta yet because I dislike having to bounce the chapter back and forth and not getting it uploaded when I want to, but that's just me being impatient. I can sacrifice a day or two to send it off to someone if it will improve the quality of the fic. A fresh eye does help :) And as for what you said about Azula, no worries there will be no miracles in this story. Everyone's gonna work for what they get, and you really spent 3 days analyzing the last chapter? Lol do you realize how many chapters are left? xD And thank you for the list. I'm thinking once I'm done with this story I'll go back and revise everything. That way I can shoot out the chapters while my muse is still working.**

**Toxiclynne- Ah, I see your point. However, the idea behind Katara telling Aang that story wasn't to get pity, or to have him empathize with her. He wanted to know why she changed. She told him. That's all, and Aang is different than the rest of the Avatar characters because his position as Avatar puts him in a place where he's expected to be powerful. That gives him a certain amount of obligation. Because he has the most power the crafters of ATLA made him more morally upstanding than the rest of the Avatar crew. His reaction to his home being taken away is respectable, but I've seen grief break people. Everyone responds differently, and very few people handle loss like Aang did. So yes the other characters are angsty, and channeling their feelings in a negative way, but it's normal, and as for Zuko if you think about him and Azula grew up under completely different conditions. He had all of his mother's love, while Azula had her fathers. They both were the golden children to different parents. Zuko was…lucky to be honest. He thinks he got the short end of the stick though. **

**Icuras- Thanks xD **

**Arcus Iris- lol well…here's another 24 pages like you asked xD and no Toph's not gonna be an odd rebound for Azula. But it's not gonna be a normal relationship beginning either.**

**Felur-I'll try to keep Zuko from appearing to be a tyrant, because he's not meant to be. He's just…lost, and his view on the world is completely skewed…from things you all will find out later xD And yes, I actually do have a relatively happy ending in mind, but it's kinda far away.**

**Milvurox- Azula's not gonna be broken forever. Eventually, she'll make a comeback.**

**And okay, that's the end of that. Next chapter coming in a bit. Let me know what you all think. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Ugh sorry guys I suck :/ This shoulda been up days ago, but I kept going back and revising, and yeah... This chapter is shorter than the last couple because I had to split in two.**

**Thanks for the reviews :3**

**Generator X: yep, Azula and Aang have been through similar trials with being removed from time, and eventually they will talk, but not yet. Other people need to get their heart to hearts out of the way first xD**

**Arcus Iris- Huh...yeah I didn't know that. Well I hope they really do fine tune this cure for cancer. Lots of people need it.**

**Trich-thanks xD**

**SleepWerewolf- Here's a new one. :3**

**Everyone read and Enjoy.**

* * *

Lady Grey stared at the documents cluttering her desk. A small frown was etched upon her face beneath the mask. She was surveying one of the reports that had been thrown on her desk a few hours ago. Every month or so, one of her informants delivered a comprehensive report-so she was constantly being updated with current news about the Fire Nation. She had informants in the other two Nations as well but the Fire Nation was the one that needed to be watched carefully.

This document was exactly why.

One of the spies under the General's command had left a curt assessment of the area he was in. Since Azula's impromptu "release" the Firelord had tripled his military base. Thousands of regulators flooded the area, and he'd sent Iroh out like a bloodhound to track Azula's scent. So far the Dragon of the West had been unsuccessful, but he was like a rock tumbling down a cliff-he seemed miniscule, and harmless until he gained enough momentum to crush someone. If they weren't very careful, Safe Haven would no longer be safe.

Zuko would guarantee that. The Fire monarch was obsessed with order, and his perfect utopia. Safe Haven wouldn't fit into that little box, because it represented everything Zuko was trying to destroy: free will, violence and its consequences, He'd focused the majority of the Fire Nation's funds towards financing his own selfish war, and in doing so drained his country dry. There was no money left in the treasury for anything-no food, no trade, no science, or technology. Nothing

According to this report, in the very near future the Fire Nation was going to be bankrupt.

Zuko's rule was slowly eroding his country's resources. Food was scarce as was water. The Fire Nation was on the eve of the worst famine in its history and Zuko was focusing all of his energy on Azula, and capturing her.

Lady Grey threw the paper down in disgust.

The Fire Nation was her home, and regardless of how mixed her feelings were about it, if Zuko wasn't stopped he was going to be solely responsible for destroying it.

Scowling, she glanced at Horatio who was reclining by her feet. "Go get the General I need to talk to her."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxX

**_In the Fire Nation..._**

_My dear Nephew, _

_This is just a preemptive e letter telling you about our progress. Me and the regulators have thoroughly searched the town of Endai. We overturned every rock, and came up empty. It seems your sister is not using any of her normal tactics to disappear. I searched Endai because it's an obscure town, on the edges of the Fire Nation. Very few visit here. I think she'd be too wary to hide in plain sight. She wouldn't take the risk, but I'll be searching close to home next to be sure. I will be sure to keep you updated so you'll know if we find something._

_Sincerely,_

_Your Uncle_

Zuko closed the letter, his expression thoughtful. Where was Azula?

She'd always been adept in crafting strategies, and forging ahead. Very little could deter her, and if she didn't want to be found, he might never find her. It would be just like his sister to outwit them all. Just once, he wanted to beat her. He wanted to prove she wasn't superior and that he could protect his home from her. He had all the power at his disposal. He had the regulators. He had the throne, but it was not enough. Azula still managed to thwart him, but how?

She couldn't do it on her own.

She couldn't escape, nor could she remain hidden without help.

It was mind boggling.

He hadn't the faintest idea who could be helping her. He'd been systematically rooting out all the names on Iroh's list with little to no success. No one would willingly help her because no one could handle her intensity. No one could handle her cold demeanor, and callous attitude. Anyone that was unfortunate enough to encounter her, was rubbed the wrong way, and became convinced she was some kind of Fire Demon.

Azula had that effect on people, so where she gathered enough support to escape was beyond him The only one that he could prove was instrumental to her escape was Ty Lee-who at this very moment was outside of the Fire Nation border feeding the elements. He didn't know where else to look. Although there was one resource he'd left unfurnished. There was one avenue he hadn't investigated yet. He'd been hoping he wouldn't have to resort this in order to find Azula.

Resignedly, He stood up his crimson robes whisking against the palace marble.

He was going to go talk to his father.

Taking long leisurely steps he left the throne room, turning down the long illustrious hallway to a secondary set of chambers that led to the stairs. This would take him to the lower levels of the palace, where prisoners of a certain caliber were held. Azula had occupied a whole floor on her own, and Ozai occupied the level below her.

He had not expected to walk down this path for a long time. The last time he'd walked down these halls Azula was rotting in the prison below. Now she was gone and once again he was walking down this corridor to see another royal prisoner, but this time it wasn't his sister it was his father.

The former Firelord.

Ozai.

If no one else knew who Azula would run to, his father would. Azula had always been his favorite child, and the one who brought him the most pride-the most joy. Unlike him, Azula wasn't a disappointment. In his father's eyes he could never measure up to his sister, and he'd come to accept that. He didn't want to be Azula's equal anymore. He wasn't a boy longing for his father's attention, he was the Firelord, and he needed information to protect his kingdom.

This thought stilled his scattered mind as he descended into the lower levels of the palace.

He bypassed Azula's level not even sparing a second glance towards Maron who was helping lead an investigation in her cell. They were looking for foul play and if they found anything resembling evidence or a possible lead, they were to inform him immediately. So far, nothing had been found. He was still hopeful though. This travesty would not stand. In the end her location would be revealed.

His scarred features tightened as he entered Ozai's domain.

Unlike Azula's prison, his father's cell wasn't comprised of a suffocating stench, nor it was it contaminated by unsightly waste and grime. His cell was crisp, and reeked of a distilled soapy scent. It was cleaned recently it seemed, and still carried the fresh aroma. It was the most noteworthy thing he was aware of when entering, and as he strode past the empty cells it was the most distracting thing he noticed. He was unaccustomed to this level of the palace because he'd visited this cell frequently in the years following the war, but after the Purging he refused to come down here.

His father was happy with ignoring he existed, and affected the same mask of polite disinterest.

He didn't need his father to function.

However, he did need his help.

He blinked warily, trying to discern his father's bony figure from the shadows in the dimly lit cell. He'd come to stop in front of the bars containing Ozai, but he had yet to actually see him. His father blended into the background fairly well, because he'd grown thin and small. He didn't have a huge all encompassing presence anymore, and he hadn't move since Zuko arrived. If he didn't know any better, he would think Ozai had died.

"Father." He greeted the shadows softly, and was met with silence.

The same resilient silence he had received everytime he visited his father. Ozai refused to speak to him. His father was punishing him with his silence, and Zuko resented him for it. Ozai had spent an arduous amount of time breaking him down with words. The majority of his childhood was spent adhering to whatever his father said, and enduring the verbal landslide. Now when he needed his father to speak, and had no intentions of taking his words to heart, Ozai was refusing to talk.

That's fine, if Ozai wouldn't talk maybe he would listen.

"I don't know if you've heard, but your daughter has escaped."

Amber eyes, cold, lifeless and so like Azula's opened to stare at him. With those soulless orbs glaring at him, he felt so…small. He frowned, his lips thinning into a line, and tried to center himself. He wouldn't shrink under his father's gaze anymore. He was past that stage in his life.

Straightening, his own eyes narrowed, and he cleared his throat. "I'm going to great lengths to find her, and have had very little success." He admitted, his voice strained. He didn't like confessing his shortcomings to anyone, especially his father. Showing weakness to Ozai was like baring your throat to a wolf; both circumstances left you liable to get your larynx torn out. "I need your help."

Something flickered in the depths of those vast empty pools.

For the first time in years Ozai spoke, his voice husky and low from disuse.

"You're arrogant enough to ask me for favors while you have me chained down like a dog?..And to add insult to injury you want me to betray my own blood?"

Zuko frowned, his hands clenching into fists. Once again, Ozai's primary concern was for himself and for his precious daughter. "I'm your blood too." He replied quietly, his apathetic expression faltering. "Azula is not your only child, and I'm the one who needs your help right now. She's dangerous…and no matter where I look I can't find her." His knuckles began turning white in response to his anger. "And you never had a problem with betraying family before."

"Still going on about that are you?" The former firelord drawled, his voice flat, and his expression bored.

Zuko scowled fiercely. "You were going to kill me."

"I would have succeeded too, if that insufferable woman hadn't interfered."

"Don't talk about my mother like that." Zuko said darkly, his tone clipped.

"You and that woman deserve each other. As far as I'm concerned, I only have one child. Azula is my blood. Even if I knew where she was I wouldn't tell you." The former firelord sighed tiredly, a vexed expression on his face.

"It's always Azula. Azulon favored her both always thought she was perfect! She's only human. What makes her so much better than the rest of the world?" Zuko threw his hands up in frustration, his face flushing in anger and annoyance.

Ozai shook his head, his brows furrowing concentration as he struggled to articulate himself. This was the longest conversation he'd had in years, so talking was becoming an excursion for him. He pushed on anyways, a cruel amused smile making his lips twitch upwards. "Fool…Azulon favored no one. He treated everyone with the same measure of contempt, and my actions regarding the throne prompted him to order your death. Ursa is the only reason you still breathe today. That was my mistake…one that I should have rectified years ago. You will undoubtedly lead the fire nation to ruin, and the reason Azula appears to be so favored, is because she is the only one in this family that is not a complete and utter _**failure.**_"

The muscle in Zuko's jaw tightened.

"I'm not a failure."

Ozai quirked one disbelieving brow, and when he spoke his tone was low and mocking. "Is that so? Then enlighten me- what are you Zuko—because you can't seriously call yourself a FireLord."

"I've earned my title." Zuko replied stiffly.

"No you_ took_ it, like I did." Ozai smiled humorlessly, and in a way that was all teeth. "But unlike me you've managed to lead the Fire Nation to financial ruin and famine. Congratulations son…"

Zuko winced at the obvious sarcasm, his mind whirling in confusion.

The guards must have tipped Ozai off to the Fire Nation's current state.

These were problems Zuko himself hadn't had time to analyze so he had no reply for his father. He had no way to defend his actions. He was saved from responding because at that exact moment the sound of metal boots clanking against the damp stone floor echoed in the large vacant prison room. His gaze slanted to the left, just as Maron slid to a stop in front of him. The boy was panting heavily like he had just run a race, and beads of sweat trickled down his forehead.

He placed a hand on the exhausted guard's shoulder. "Breathe boy." He commanded.

Obediently, Maron took a shaky breath. "Firelord, the excavation unit has found out something of interest. It's about Azula's cell…"

Finally.

Good news.

Zuko clamped down on his expression so he didn't appear too eager.

"Well," He said impatiently, crossing his arms across his chest as he waited for an explanation.

Maron didn't appear too worried. Since Azula's escape, he'd been less sheepish and nervous. He spoke evenly, with confidence and could now look Zuko in the eye, which was something he couldn't understand. Most boys would have a hurt ego after failing miserably at their job, but not Maron. He seemed to grow from the experience, and now actually seemed a tad intimidating. Apparently the boy had been spending an unprecedented amount of time in the training hall, honing his skills so he wouldn't be so easy to incapacitate next time.

Zuko admired his drive, and when Maron placed a fist in his open palm in a customary show of respect, and dipped to bow he felt some of his ire dwindling. Swiftly the boy began to fall into an explanation. "Firelord the excavation unit was checking out Azula's cell and they finally took the time to examine her shackles. They weren't broken, and the key was still with me hidden under my armor."

Completely disregarding Ozai's presence, Zuko blinked trying to wrap his mind around Maron's words. "I…don't understand. The shackles were there and the key was with you? Those shackles are not susceptible to bending, and they weren't broken so how did they just open by themselves? Ty Lee couldn't have done this."

The guard shrugged helplessly. "It's like the metal unclasped itself."

Metal…

Moving…

Metal didn't move on its own. The idea was asinine. With that foolish notion stomped on-That left very little room for plausible ideas. Without the key, and without bending the chains should have remained intact, and Ty Lee although gifted in combat wasn't very fond of metalwork…She had to have help. A small thought began to form in the back of his mind, and Zuko paused, trying to concentrate on the elusive piece of information. He relaxed his cold expression. Metal couldn't be moved…but it could be bended. He knew that for a fact. Just before the war's end ten years ago, he'd been informed that Toph had reached the next level of Earthbending: Metalbending.

It wasn't something he'd thought about before-But in a way it made sense.

Toph disappeared five years ago during the Purging, and he'd checked the records extensively. Her name was not on the list of people to be Purged. None of the regulators disposed of her. No one found her. She just disappeared. Katara, Sokka, Aang, and himself-They all assumed something happened to her. Maybe something did. Maybe she chose to join the other side, and that's why they hadn't seen her in years-she was too ashamed to show her face because she was a traitor. Although why the blind earthbender would choose to help his sister was a mystery. The devastation Azula spread around eclipsed any decent or tolerable qualities she might have. Why would Toph be in league with Ty Lee? Perhaps it was a poor lapse in judgment for her?

Either that or someone else had learned how to metalbend.

It was something to consider. Toph wasn't the only talented earthbender in the world. However-The likelihood of it being someone else was small because even the greatest earthbenders had to train extensively to reach that level of skill. Metalbending fell into the same category as bending lightning. Anyone could potentially learn how to do it, but very few had the drive or inclination.

As far as he knew Toph was the only one that had managed to accomplish such a feat.

The shackles in Azula cell would have been a small matter for her.

Perhaps he had made a mistake in focusing all his attention on Azula, perhaps he should have been expanding his search to look for Toph as well.

With renewed purpose he strode past a startled looking Maron. "I need to go see the Southern Tribe Liasion-Katara. Tell no one of your discovery. Station someone outside this door when you leave." He demanded, leaving the room. Unbeknownst to him, cool amber eyes followed his retreating back, mentally calculating everything that had just happened a few minutes ago.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Azula grunted as the massive beast carrying her lurched to the side to avoid a cart passing by. Her body jolted at the unexpected motion, and she withheld a wince, stifling a pained cry. Sudden moves didn't agree with her. Her body was still battered from the last few weeks, and crippled from the last ten years. Scaling the mongoose dragon's bulk to settle in the saddle was a huge debacle. Actually riding the beast was something else altogether.

The hulking creature didn't absorb the shock that came with each step, instead it rocked her from side to side, rattling her abused limbs, and making her grit her teeth. These lizard hybrids were bred in the Fire Nation, and she used to ride one regularly. Once upon a time she used to be able to handle their speed with ease, but not anymore.

Even though she rode a mongoose dragon just like this while she was pursuing the Avatar, at the present she still struggled to remain upright, and steer. She could barely handle a mount in her condition.

However, considering the alternative a mongoose dragon suited her just fine.

Toph had threatened to carry her if she didn't ride one of these accursed beasts.

Azula had chosen the lesser of the two evils.

She wouldn't be able to stomach the indignity of it all if she was forced to hang limply off Toph's shoulders, like a sack of potatoes. The blind woman had unceremoniously dragged her out of bed this morning, and told her they needed to go visit a few places in the market so she could gather supplies. Toph needed to replace the things Azula had destroyed in her old room, and the earthbender also needed to gather things that Azula might need to recover: splints, bandages, ointment, herbs, and other necessities. She also mentioned something about restocking the pantry because they were running low on food.

Azula wasn't sure why she was forced to go along.

She couldn't carry anything.

Moving was still equivalent to falling off a cliff. It produced the same dizzy, nauseous feeling, and the same muscle shattering result. Frankly- She wasn't up to meandering around Safe Haven. The idea of being out in public left a sour taste in her mouth. She wasn't overly fond of people, in this Agni forsaken wasteland, that ingrained characteristic was even more true.

That being said-She wasn't looking forward to encountering more refugees, some who might be more familiar than others. She had no lack of enemies, and given her present condition, and emotional status she would not fair well against one.

Although somehow she doubted anyone would make an attempt on her life while Toph was present.

Her gaze sharpened as it fell on the woman's back.

The earthbender had a steadying hand on her mongoose dragon and was leading it seamlessly through the crowd. The people parted in waves to let the esteemed General by, and although she loathed to admit it, Azula was almost impressed by the control the blind woman had amassed over the inhabitants of Safe Haven. Apparently she commanded immense respect.

"General look out!"

Azula stiffened and her gaze darted around for danger. Her mongoose dragon hissed as suddenly, his face was free from the blindwoman's iron grip. Toph stepped away from the beast, and Azula watched with wary eyes as the earthbender slid fluidly into an earthbending stance. Toph's palm slid up, and she crouched low her fist slamming into the ground. In response to the blind woman's bending, a mound of earth erupted from the ground. Toph whirled, making a swift cutting motion and the mound of earth curved turning into a makeshift slide.

This all happened in an instant, and a second later a man flew through the air, colliding with Toph's spur-of-the-moment curved pillar of earth. He slid down the earth slide, a strangled cry escaping his lips as his momentum made him airborne once again. He hovered for a second in the air before gravity took hold of him and slammed him into the ground.

Everyone winced as a crack resounded through the marketplace signaling a few broken bones.

"Idiot." Toph murmured.

Azula blinked as once again, her mongoose dragon was submissively forced to follow the blind earthbender through the crowd. They stepped over the twitching man, whose face was suddenly a sickly pallor, and continued walking.

"What was that?" She frowned, less bothered by the injured man, than she was by the random act of violence she just witnessed. Who attacked him? Why? And why did everyone else appear unsurprised by his impromptu arrival and sudden defeat. Her question was swallowed by the noise of the people around her, but Toph seemed to possess keen hearing because she answered anyway.

"That was the beauty of Safe Haven. Tyrin, the guy that just flew the air is always annoying Kairo, the one that just broke his arm. Here, we don't have guards, or soldiers stationed anywhere. The people are responsible for themselves. What you just saw, was similar to the Fire Nation's Agni Kai. Someone got slighted. They fought till someone was satisfied. Now Kairo's gonna cart Tyrin off to Kei's healing den." Toph said boredly, an amused smile playing on her lips.

A place with no soldiers?

No guards?

How had this place survived without anyone enforcing it?

People could not be depended upon to keep order on their own.

They were foolish and selfish, and prone to deathly mistakes.

Especially these_ miscreants_…

"Princess."

She looked up to find Toph's pale green orbs staring at her. As always, they were looking through her, and spoke volumes about how the earthbender was feeling. At the moment she was amused.

"What?" Azula asked, trying to contain her irritation.

"You're doing that thing again where you get quiet, and worry about nothing."

Toph chuckled, ignoring the indignant look Azula directed at her.

"Don't you have somewhere to be? Like gathering food?" She prompted icily, not finding the humor in the blind woman's words. She was most definitely not in the mood for this.

Toph took her chilly dismissal in stride, merely smirking response. "Always so touchy." The blind woman shook her head morosely, laughing quietly to herself. She loosened her grip on the mongoose dragon's nose, letting the beast have free reign for the time being. "I'll be right back. The vendor's over there." Toph said confidently walking off in the direction she indicated earlier. Azula watched her walk away with narrow eyes.

Touchy didn't' even begin to describe her.

A more apt description was that she had standards and didn't enjoy being placed in such detestable company.

Toph wandered off towards the food stand leaving her alone for the time being. She reveled in the silence, for a moment, happy to be alone. She sighed resting her hand on the mongoose dragon's scaly neck. She'd been spending an unnatural of time with the blind earthbender. They spent almost every waking moment together. Whenever Toph wasn't with Lady Grey, or occupied with Navaro, or whatever her station required of her, she was with Azula. They were unwillingly joined at the hip, and Azula was tired of constantly being around her.

She was used to isolation-it had been her staple for the last several years, caging her and steadying her.

Now she wasn't able to claim anytime for herself.

It was a daunting transition for her.

"Hey princess are you hungry?"

It seemed Toph was back, carrying an armful of bags.

"I'm fine." She sighed wearily. "I believe you fed and watered me a few hours ago." She replied airily, without any of her usual bite.

"Do I need to take you out to piddle too?"

Azula didn't dignify that with a reply, letting the earthbender snicker quietly to herself. Sometimes Toph acted like a glorified teenage boy. It astounded, and perturbed her every time. The blind woman, after letting her laughter dissolve, spent the next few minutes distributing her bags of food on top of the mongoose dragon's back behind Azula, letting most of the weight rest against the edge of the saddle.

Suddenly the earthbender paused, tilting her head to the side as if she was listening for something.

A sudden barking caught her attention. Azula craned her head, searching for the source of the noise. Her mongoose dragon was completely still, his serpentine eyes focused on the were-jaguar in front of them. Judging from the glacier look the ethereal beast was fixing them with, this were-jaguar was of a higher standing than Onteel-who was in Toph's quarters sleeping. This one must be Lady Grey's companion Horatio.

Toph knelt down next to the raven furred creature, her fingers gently caressing his head. "Horatio…what are you doing here?"

One of his two tails swayed gently in front of the earthbender, and dropped a parchment into her hand. Toph stared blankly at the document. "Why does she always do this? She knows I can't read." She murmured.

Azula smirked at the exasperated words. The earthbender was a menace even without her sight. Adding her fifth sense back into her repertoire would make her a formidable enemy indeed.

She didn't need any more of those.

The enemies she had accumulated over the years had already beaten her, and the price of loss was so costly.

She'd lost her health.

Her keen mental facilities.

Mai.

Ty Lee…

"Hey princess, do you mind?" Toph gestured at the paper, and Azula was drawn out of her reverie. She shook her head trying to clear the images her subconscious had provided her with, and her gaze fell on the parchment held out for her to take.

"You're joking." She drawled, her voice lilting in annoyance.

Toph's expression suggested otherwise.

She sighed sharply, and none too gently grabbed the parchment from the earthbender's outstretched fingers. Unfurling the edges she skimmed the note's comments mentally summarizing the message written on in front of her. "Lady Grey is summoning you. She wants to talk about the Fire Nation and Zuko."

"Oh yay…I was worried were finally going to talk about something else." Toph grumbled glancing back in the direction they'd come. "I guess we'll go back to the estate, and I'll drop you off in your room, before I go see her."

Lovely.

Azula could use the alone time…although she wondered what Toph and Lady Grey planned to discuss about the Fire Nation? And Zuko?

What was going on now?

* * *

**Okay part one of chapter 11 is over. What do you all think?**

**And just to clarify, a something for those of you who are fuzzy on the Azulon thing-Azulon is Ozai's father (and the one Azula is named after) , and back in the day he was in the process of choosing an heir. Ozai was not his main choice. Ozai told Azulon to betray Iroh, who had just lost his son, and Azulon told him he was not betraying his own blood, and until Ozai lost a son of his own he would never understand what Iroh was going through. So, Azulon ordered him to kill his own son, which he would have done, but Ursa intervened and traded her life for Zuko's which is why she left the Fire Nation, and self exiled herself.**

**I thought I'd add a confrontation about that since...it's not really addressed in the series even though Azula told Zuko that their father was going to kill him.**

**Yunno...closure and all that xD**

**Next update should be in the next week or two. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Good freaking Lord it's been a long time. I'm so sorry for how late this is. I've been really really busy, but now I'm not because I graduated YESTERDAY so as of right now, I have lots of free time and can dedicate more of it to this story. **

**And I do plan on finishing this, so never worry about abandonment.**

**I actually like this chapter alot...just cuz :3**

**Oh yes and I apologize beforehand for any misonstrued details. I had a computer issue and lost the entire plot outline for this story so this chapter involved lots of guesswork on my part.**

**And one more thing-I love all the guesses about Lady Grey.**

**They make me happy for a variety of reasons, but a gentle reminder don't take any of these characters at face value xDDD**

* * *

** Safe Haven**

"You're timing is impeccable." Lady Grey greeted her softly, and ushered Toph into her room. The earthbender navigated her way around the masked ruler, and seated herself in the back of the room, taking residence in her normal seat. Behind her, Horatio drifted into the room and made himself comfortable at his master's side, leaning on Lady Grey's leg. This was a familiar situation they found themselves in-all assembled together, both monarchs facing each other- singularly focused on their goals, on opposite ends of the spectrum. Toph was painfully aware of the chasm opening between them. Lady Grey was going to ask for something outlandish and ridiculous again. It was an innate feeling of dread that told her so, a sixth sense of sorts. Last time she had been summoned like this, it was for Lady Grey to ask for help in freeing Azula.

She wondered what she'd be asked to do this time.

"General, there's something I need you to do." Lady Grey began tentatively-and Toph's expression changed from worry to one of oblique amusement. Her masked counterpart was predictable.

"Name it." She drawled lazily, stretching her arms out behind her head. She knew even if the request was eccentric she would end up acquiescing. She rarely ever refused her fellow ruler because her masked friend was nothing if not pragmatic. She operated within her moral limitations and only wanted to serve the people's best interests.

A selfless person...

If Toph cared about people that way-Lady Grey would be someone to aspire too.

As it was, she found her endless martyrdom and self sacrificing nature a bit...exhausting.

It was hard to rise to the occasion and do the right thing, when nobody else wants too. This post war era was not a time of ethical clarity. The line between good and evil was even more blurred than normal. Toph could barely discern the difference, but she made due because anything else would be foolish. She lived without regrets, and refused to accumulate any now. She would not have her life governed by past failures.

True to form, Lady Grey didn't waste time on polite idiosyncrasies, "General, I want you to go to the surface and stop the Dragon of the West. Send him home; incapacitate him; I don't care. He's becoming a menace. He has completely shut down two cities already. They have a curfew-No one can leave or enter. People's things have been confiscated, and their homes have been invaded without probable cause while he searches for Azula." With each word Lady Grey's voice seemed to lower in distaste.

Toph sat up from her languid pose, her brow furrowing in confusion. "I take it I'll be missing Ty Lee's funeral today then?" She said slowly, trying to understand the unorthodox charge directed at her.

"No." Her masked companion responded immediately.

"So I'll be leaving for this mission tomorrow?" Toph asked incredulously again.

"No, you'll be leaving now, and be back in time for Bane's funeral tonight." The masked woman explained patiently, and Toph imagined her to be smiling cryptically. Lady Grey didn't seem to realize the scope of the favor she was asking. She wanted Toph to cripple one of Zuko's most eminent forces in less than 24 hours, and then make it back in time for Ty Lee's funeral. What a daunting idea...Toph had an unwavering belief in her abilities, and her skill as a leader but c'mon- this was Iroh they were talking about. He didn't grow to be that old because he was stupid.

"I don't know if this is a good idea. The time table you just want is going to be hard to stick to." Toph complained with a sigh, exhaling an exasperated puff of air.

"I'm only asking for something this difficult because I believe you can handle it. You've been missing for almost 5 years General. Iroh won't be expecting you. You have the element of surprise on your side, and although we have fewer numbers, our men make a more dangerous task force than theirs. You molded them into a better team, and you are a better leader." Lady Grey said diplomatically. The depth beneath her words was not hard to discern. Iroh was competent, and a brilliant strategist, but Toph was adaptable, and a genius. If pressed, she could and would outwit the Dragon of the West.

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Toph admonished her lightly.

"It's not flattery. Can you do this?" Lady Grey poised the question like a challenge, halting the earthbender's inner musings.

The blind woman pretended to think about it. After a dramatic pause she grinned confidently. "I'll do more than that." Toph stated bluntly, a smirk dominating her face. "Since you're asking me to perform miracles today-I'll kill two birds with one stone." Toph held up two fingers, counting down her plan out loud. "Not only will I subdue Iroh, and his regulators," one finger fell. "I'll send a second group to circle back and find Bane's body so we can give her a proper funeral." Her other finger fell, and Toph made a fist, her sightless eyes glaring into ephemeral world of darkness she'd grown accustomed too.

"...Isn't that a bit reckless?" Lady Grey asks cautiously, doubt coloring her words.

Toph made a face. "Of course it is. The entire plan is suicidal."

"And you're going to do it anyway?" The masked monarch asked incredulously.

"Forcing Iroh into submission was your idea." Toph grunted, shaking her head. "Look-I see it like this, we need to make sure Azula doesn't fall into Iroh's hands. I can stop him. As you've pointed out I have the advantage of surprise, and no one knows where I've been the last five years. The shock of seeing me again, as an enemy, should give me an edge in battle. Also it should send Iroh back to Zuko with something to report, which would give one of our groups time to emancipate Bane's body." A small grin quirked Toph's lips. "Two birds. One stone."

"One problem." Lady Grey interjected smoothly, already finding the flaws in Toph's ingenius scheme. "Who is going to lead this second group?"

The earthbender frowned.

Bane was her second-in-command.

She hadn't found the time to replace her yet...

"Hrmmm." She hummed thoughtfully, picking through names in her mind. It was hard to discern who was qualified, and who wasn't to lead. She needed a person that was on a first name basis with most of the citizens in Safe Haven-someone who could use the skills of their unit in an organized and effective manner; someone who was adaptable, and willing to toil alongside the rest of their unit on and off the battle field. That eliminated so many people from the list, and to make matters worse-she personally had to know her second-in-command. She didn't want any subjugation problems, because on the field, her word took precedence over everyone elses-so now she had a dilemma. There was only one person that fit all of that criteria, and Toph was hesitant to name him.

"What about Aang?" Lady Grey asked after a moment.

Toph blinked, one slender eyebrow rising in belief and disdain. "Twinkle Toes?" She asked, her voice dropping in vehement disapproval. "You've got to be joking."

"He's not a viable candidate?"

Toph shook her head hastily. "No. Don't get me wrong, Aang is a one man powerhouse, but we're talking about leading a squad here-that takes more than good fighting skills. Aang hasn't truly been a leader on the field in years, and in this day and age, when people might die in battle- I dunno how useful he would be. He's not decisive enough."

"So who do you suggest?" Lady Grey asked seriously.

Even after ruminating about it for several minutes only one name came to mind. Toph rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "Navaro might be the best choice."

"Navaro? He's just a kid." The masked monarch reprimanded her sharply, and Toph's sightless eyes darkened considerably at her tone.

"He's not just a kid..I was able to lead a fighting force at his age...and we've already given him leeway to fight with us. Telling him he's too young now would be hypocritical. Honestly, the boy's got talent, and he knows everyone. The other fighters respect him, and even though he's young, he's hardly been exempt from things. I think he can do this."

"You're his earthbending master, of course you think he's invulnerable, but he still-"

"Lady." Toph cut her off, and abruptly stood up from her seat. "Trust me. Navaro is well suited for this, and he won't break from earning the position."

Only silence answered her.

Toph could understand the tumultuous thoughts burdening her friend. Sending children into battle was horrific. Navaro had accompanied her on missions before, but nothing like this. Something on this scale could be the catalyst for her protege, the turning point for him. It was one thing to experience death's touch vicariously through someone else. It was another thing entirely to stare death in the face. Navaro had watched Ty Lee die, and although he hadn't spoken about it much she knew it had marked him. Could he endure the idea of his own death the same implacable attitude? Or would he be irreparably damaged?

A weary sigh echoed throughout the room.

"Alright Toph" Lady Grey breathed. "...I want you to assemble your squads with Navaro, and leave immediately."

Toph smiled wanly. "Of course." She dipped her head in acknowledgment of the masked woman's words, and quickly turned to leave.

Once again, she'd gotten her way.

Was she in the right though?

#()*$ #$ #)$U#_*$ #$( #_+$( #)$ +#$* #($ & #$_ #*$)( *# #$+R) *(#4 #$_

**Journal Entry**

_'Zula, after you said you hated me-it was like I couldn't breathe. You took control of my life before the war, and my lungs were just another one of your possessions, just like my organs, my heart, and my mind. By saying you hated me, you took my oxygen away. You said I was the worst traitor of them all, so my heart stopped beating. I wonder if those organs would ever correctly again...and then I got a message..._

"Ty Lee...C'mon what's wrong?" Suki asked softly, glancing down at the abnormally quiet girl in her lap. She gently stroked the acrobat's forehead, and tried to quell the uneasy feeling her gut. Ty Lee had been acting strangely for the last week or so. The bubbly girl was many things-she was sociable, optimistic, and she was a woman that was never seen without a smile. Except this week she was constantly frowning. It was like the last vestiges of happiness had been drained from her. All week long Ty Lee had been pale, avoiding people, and every conversation with her had been strained because she'd been uncharacteristically silent. She was an emotional wreck, and even those that didn't know her well had noticed. Ty Lee wore her emotions on her sleeve, and every warrior on Kiyoshi Island was aware of her despondent presence. Although no one had approached her about her disquieting behavior. Today Suki had managed to corner her. She'd never seen a gloomy Ty Lee before...it was unsettling. She'd asked her directly what was wrong, and got no reply. She tried the indirect approach by encircling the smaller woman in a tight embrace-hoping she could elicit some type of response from her. However, no matter how much she prompted her, the acrobat refused to divulge her thoughts. Ty Lee took one look at Suki's patient face, and the quiet concern there, and all but collapsed into the woman's arms. Suki had been lightly threading her fingers through Ty Lee's hair ever since.

Even now she was refusing to speak,

Instead of answering her, the acrobat buried her face further into Suki's side, but not before the Kyoshi warrior caught a glimpse of dull vacant eyes.

She shuddered.

Something was eating at Ty Lee-something big.

"Ty..." The question froze on her lips. The acrobat had visited Azula last week, and had been a shell of a person ever since. "Did something happen last week?" She asked carefully, pausing in her ministrations.

The despairing woman stiffened in her arms.

That was a yes.

"It's Azula isn't it?" Suki murmured the inference with a fond hint of exasperation. With Ty Lee it could only be Azula. The acrobat was always gravitating towards the former princess, always unconsciously drifting closer to her even when Azula was out of reach. It was fascinating, watching someone so carefree, so guile-less, pine after a woman who had very little regard for humanity, and the world around her. One could only wonder if Azula felt the same pull with the same intensity. The princess didn't strike her as the type to be guided by emotional impulses. Azula was cold. Azula was calculating. Azula was the reason Ty Lee was hopelessly lost right now...

"She said she hated me." The acrobat whispered, wincing even as the words left her lips.

Suki began gently stroking her friend's forehead again, as she tried to think of something meaningful to say. She was under the distinct impression that Azula hated everyone, but perhaps that wasn't the case. If Azula hated everyone with the same indiscriminate loathing she claimed to, than Ty Lee wouldn't be so shocked right now. Clearly Ty Lee had not been part of the vast majority of the population that Azula wanted to dispose of. From an outsider's perspective-They were an odd pair, not friends, not enemies but there was something disproportional about their relationship. Ty Lee treated Azula like she was Agni reborn-demurely following her instruction, and clinging to the stalwart belief that Azula was flawless. Azula herself, seemed to believe she was incapable of making mistakes, and that bled into her relationships as well. Her interactions with the people around her held varying degrees of contempt, and unrelenting hostility. Ty Lee was no exception; she'd seen Azula verbally decimate Ty Lee in passing, and all the bubbly woman did was smile. But even then, the fire princess was _different_ with Ty Lee. Her sarcasm wasn't as biting, her mannerisms were not as cold. Azula almost seemed human in the acrobat's presence. Suki suspected that Ty Lee served as the former princess's conscience.

A harrowing job indeed, but one that the acrobat accepted with grace, and no small amount of ambiguity.

But that begged the question-what exactly was going on with Ty Lee and Azula now?

Was the fire princess serious about hating Ty Lee?

Suki made a curious sound in the back of her throat. "Well, I'd like to say she didn't mean it, but-I don't know Azula as well as you do. From what I can tell, she seems to always act and speak in extremes. She might not hate you at all Ty." Suki reasoned, her brows furrowing in thought. Comforting people was not a skill she was good at, and it didn't help that she still resented the former princess.

Azula was cruel.

Suki had endured days of agony, and pure undiluted torture at that vile woman's hands. Her body still bore scars she'd earned from Azula's fire.

Suki had never met someone that deliberately went out of their way to make people miserable, and Azula did so regularly-a self made sadist in her element. Ty Lee didn't deserve to suffer because of her. Innately, Suki understood that, but she also understood that her friend couldn't help herself where Azula was involved.

"No...It wasn't like that-" Ty Lee glanced up at Suki with glassy eyes. "Azula meant it." The acrobat murmured brokenly in a way that was so self assured-so certain it made a sliver of empathy creep through her. Having someone you care about, bluntly express their hatred for you was not something that was easy to swallow. She released a ragged breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Azula's just..." Words tumbled out to defend the fire princess, and Suki had to pause.

Azula was what?

Hurting.

Lashing out.

Being Azula.

Her tongue clicked thoughtfully against the roof of her mouth, and Suki focused her attention back to Ty Lee again. "Azula's trying to survive that's all. Hatred might be the only thing driving her right now." She said finally. It was guess she haphazardly threw out there in hopes of culling Ty Lee's terrible mood. However, it wasn't an inaccurate statement at all. Azula was most likely dealing with her incarceration the only way she knew how.

A snort, and then for the first time in several days Ty Lee laughs of her own accord. Suki didn't recall saying anything funny, but hearing the smaller woman giggle was such a relief she didn't question it. Shoulder's shaking with laughter, Ty Lee bonelessly slid from Suki's lap, her eyes twinkling in bemusement. At Suki's completely bewildered expression, Ty Lee only laughed harder, but eventually she settled on her side. Winded from laughter she glanced up at Suki. "That's such an Azula thing to do...focus obsessively on one emotion to get her through the tough times." Ty Lee rubbed her eyes tiredly. "She can be predictable like that."

"You would know." Suki smiled weakly, trying not to sag against the wall in relief as she felt the tension in the room dissipating.

She was feeling suffocated earlier.

"Suki!" The pounding of metal boots against the wood floors alerted her to her warrior sister's arrival a second before she said something. Suki glanced sideways towards the armor clad woman in the doorway, and after drinking in her expression-Suki's whole persona changed. She sat up straighter, and her lips thinned into a serious line.

"What's wrong?" She asked-suddenly all business while Ty Lee distanced herself from the conversation-staring up at the ceiling.

"We just got a message, from the Fire Nation." The woman, who's given name was Yumi reported dutifully.

"And?" Suki demanded, her expression grave. Zuko rarily ever sent messages, and usually when he did something insidious was in the works.

"They're still trying to iron out all of the details, but a group of people just made an attempt on the Firelord's life. The perpetrators were captured, and taken into the Palace prison while everything is being sorted out. They're being interrogated right now." Yumi finished speaking without taking a breath, and when she was done Suki had paled considerably.

An assassination attempt?

"Is Zuko alright? What about Mai?" Ty Lee bulldozed into the conversation, her hazel eyes filled with panic for her friends. Suki felt her initial shock over Yumi's words dissipating, and she shook her head. This was the most energetic she'd seen Ty Lee in over a week, and although the change was refreshing the circumstances surrounding the change were delicate. Her and Yumi shared a mutual look of understanding. Their was no concrete information yet, just vague descriptions that lacked substance. No one really knew anything because following an attempted murder, especially of someone in Zuko's position, the whole palace would be in a state of chaotic disarray.

"I'm sorry...I don't know anything more than what I've told you." Yumi murmured regretfully, unable to meet Ty Lee's demanding gaze.

Suki saw a plethora of emotions race across the acrobat's face: terror, worry, anxiousness-outright horror over what she had just been told. Ty Lee must be feeling overwhelmed after having one emotional calamity after another assault her. She'd almost lost two friends in the span of two weeks-Ty Lee never spoke of her real family, but Suki could read between the lines: Mai, Zuko, and Azula were Ty Lee's family, and right now she was terrified for all of them. Feeling the emotional turmoil, the acrobat was drowning in Suki calmly approached the smaller woman and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey..we don't know anything definite yet. Mai and Zuko are probably okay."

Ty Lee shook her head, obviously not reassured. "What if..." The acrobat trailed off, her face taking on a sickly pallor. She clearly was thinking of the worst possible scenario.

Suki felt Yumi looking helplessly at her, the younger Kiyoshi warrior feeling horrible for being the bearer of bad news. Suki glanced between the two upset women before resigning herself to the most obvious course of action. Taking charge of the situation, Suki's grip slackened on Ty Lee's shoulder, and she stood up glancing in Yumi's direction. "Is the private airship that goes to the capital still in port?" She questioned, walking towards the door.

"Yes, but even if we use the ship, we can't enter the Palace since the assassination-everything's been locked down. No one can enter or leave." Yumi correctly guessed what Suki planned to do, and pointed out the obvious flaw in the plan. Suki wasn't really listening though. Whether they had to sneak in, or break in-they were going to the palace to check on Zuko and Mai. Locks and guards were just obstacles to go around.

"We'll make do." Suki said curtly, before glancing down at Ty Lee. "Are you coming?"

The acrobat blinked, completely lost. "You're going to the palace?" She asked, her eyes wide in wonderment.

Suki smirked a little.

Typical Ty Lee.

"No-_we're _going to the palace. You want to check on your friends right?"

Ty Lee nodded hesitantly, still in shock. "Yeah."

Suki extended a hand out for her. "Come on then..."

#*($)& #$ &(!)$^! $(y_ #!(%*^! $t! ($*)&! 12361 ^*#%! ^&#%!& #*!

_'Zula I really didn't know what to think as I took Suki's hand and she led me to the airship. I was relieved the assassin was caught. I was upset that something like this happened, and I was terrified of it's consequences. The whole time we were in the airship I was thinking, What if Zuko was hurt? Or Mai? What if this was just a prelude to something worse? What if it happens again and they succeed next time?...Little did I know this was just one of many assassination attempts, meant to dethrone Zuko. People are persistent when they hate someone that much._

Azula closed the journal.

She'd only heard about the one successful murder attempt that took Mai's life. She'd forgotten that several failed assassination attempts occur before a successful one takes place. Multiple people tried to kill Zuko multiple times, and Ty Lee managed to recall the first time someone raised a blade against him. "It's a shame they didn't succeed." Azula smiled bitterly, and ran a hand through her hair. If they had-things wouldn't be such a mess right now. Her hands clenched into fists in her lap as she glared at her useless limbs. She wouldn't be a mess right now.

Toph had to carry her to a futon because she couldn't walk on her own.

Everytime she tried-and she tried daily, her legs would tremble, and then collapse bonelessly beneath her.

It was infuriating.

Willpower wasn't enough.

Pure relentless effort wasn't enough.

No amount of training would fix this.

Nothing she did would end with her recovering perfectly.

Instead she was forced to rely on abstract eventualities. Eventually, time would see to her recovery. Eventually, rest would strengthen her muscles enough for use. Eventually, she would be able to stop saying eventually because her body will have reconstructed itself. Not now though. Not today. For now she was stuck in this pitiable state, and forced to rely on people to help her, and not just any people-her enemies. The Avatar. Lady Grey. Toph.

Toph.

Her keeper. Her protector. Her antagonist. The earthbender filled so many roles in Azula's life. A lifetime ago they were on opposite sides-ready to end each other. Now Toph was a necessary evil, and she felt the earthbender's influence over every aspect of her life: Toph was there in the morning when she woke up. She was there at night when Azula went to sleep. The room the fire princess had decimated earlier was now fully furnished again, but Toph didn't stay in there. She stayed in Azula's room. Every night. It was a gradual process, acclimating to the eatherbender's presence-but in three short weeks she had. She was used to their banter, and the subtle way they accommodated each other to make things more bearable. She could honestly say that Toph was..tolerable. A nuisance, but a tolerable nuisance. If nothing else, Toph's saving grace was her senses that seemed especially attuned to her. The earthbender made sure Azula was never alone with her thoughts for too long. When Azula felt despair settling over her like a cloak-Toph ensnared her in a verbal sparring match to distract her. When Azula focused too intently on her physical condition-Toph was there with Kei's poultice reminding her it was temporary.

It was a subtle thing, but Azula knew exactly what the earthbender was doing: Toph was silently maneuvering her into a position where recovery was not just an option, but a foregone conclusion. It was strange having someone gracelessly shove her in a certain direction to help her. Usually Azula was the one in control, and she wasn't thrilled about handing over the reigns to Toph.

Bei Fong or not, Toph didn't deserve that sort of power.

But as much as it irked her to admit it, the blind woman did have power here and she was intimidating in her own way. And to make things worse, not only did Toph have power-she_ knew_ she had power. She was aware of her position in Safe Haven, and she carried herself like a monarch-a position Azula could intimately relate to. However, with power came pride, and an egocentric mindset. What made her want to kill the earthbender was Toph never flaunted her power unless she was with Azula. The earthbender purposely went out of her way to aggravate her.

After agonizing over why that might be-the fire princess came to one conclusion: Toph was still trying to push her.

Azula wasn't allowed to be weak in the earthbender's presence.

Toph wanted her to rise the challenge, and keep vaulting past the obstacles keeping them on separate levels.

That explained all the little things Toph was doing to irritate her-the constant jabs about her sitting around to be waited on like a princess again, the snide comments about Azula's lackluster behavior, and the little quips Toph came up with when she wanted to be annoying. She'd taken to calling Azula _Sunshine, _and _Sparks_ just to get under her skin, because those were two things that Azula definitely was not. To be perfectly honest everytime the earthbender called her those names, she wanted to hurt her. Badly.

Toph never stopped being facetious.

Azula never stopped hating her for it after.

It was a vicious cycle.

And one she really wanted to escape from.

She missed the icy numbness that came with being alone.

Being surrounded by people, people with no devastating motives, or dastardly intentions was ruining her.

"Knock knock."

A fist pounded on the doorway, and Azula glanced up to see the Avatar entering the room. The sight of him made her sigh. He was still the same awkward, quirky boy she remembered from ten years ago. There were a few key differences. He was broader in the shoulders. Taller, and had a more distinguished look about him-but in essence he seemed the same. As if to illustrate her point, he sent a cheeky grin her way, and waved hesitantly. "Hey Azula." He said cheerily.

His chipper attitude was nauseating...

"Avatar." She said curtly, while sending him an appraising look. "To what do I owe this unpleasant meeting?"

He chuckled nervously, and took a seat across from her so his back was resting against the wall. "I'm not here to bug you. Toph just asked me to keep you company because Lady Grey sent her and Navaro to the surface for awhile. She's leaving now."

Ah, so the Avatar was her assigned babysitter for the day.

Fantastic.

Azula snorted unhappily. "And you couldn't go with her?"

A small break to breathe...but not one without conditions. She was now stuck with the Avatar for an indeterminable amount of time. He wasn't a scary individual at all, but his presence was tedious. He grinned a bit at her exasperated expression. "The issue Toph is taking care of was turned into a Safe Haven issue, and although I'm aligned with Lady Grey and Toph I'm not part of this place. I can't explicitly participate in most of the things they do. Otherwise I lose my ability to funnel them information from the outside."

"...You can't spy if the enemy suspects you of treachery in other words." Azula surmised his words with a frown.

"Yep." He said throwing his hands behind his head, and leaning back languidly against the wall. "And in this case, it works out for me because I've been meaning to talk to you anyway." His voice dropped cautiously as if waiting for a verbal rebuttal. Azula did grace him with a skeptical look, her amber eyes darkening to a dangerous hue. What could he possibly have to say that hasn't been said, or hinted at already?

She'd been here close to three weeks, and had no real interaction with the Avatar until today.

Azula thought she had already heard all the meaningless drabble, and false pretenses she could swallow.

"I can't exactly stop you from speaking." Azula groused bitterly, glaring at the monk.

He flinched a bit at her glare, but remained resolutely rooted in his seat."I was wondering," he began tentatively, and his hands came to rest in his lap, "How are you doing in all of this?" He rushed to elaborate when he saw her staring blankly at him. She was having trouble comprehending him. Was he actually asking her how she felt right now? "I mean how are you doing after waking up from a coma and finding out about all this? The Purging? Your friends? Your brother?" He met her gaze-unflinchingly this time, and Azula was reminded that despite what her instincts were telling her, this was not the same painfully inexperienced Avatar from ten years ago. He had grown exponentially while she had withered away.

After a very long and strained silence, Azula sighed wearily. "Does it matter?"

"Of course it does-" He answered seriously before she cut him off again.

"I mean in the grand scheme of things-Avatar," She cut him an irritated look. "What I'm feeling right now, has no bearing on the giant debacle you allowed to happen." She droned tonelessly.

The monk blinked at the lackluster response, and her flat accusal. "I allowed it?" He echoed her words, surprise creeping over his features. Azula doubted the man in front of her had thought through his afternoon when he wandered into her room. He didn't seriously expect to intrude in her personal space, and leave after having a heart-to-heart did he? Azula's feelings were her own prerogative-no one elses.

"You helped put that idiot on the throne, and then when things went wrong you enabled him to do whatever he pleased. Zuzu was never meant to rule. As you can tell, he's not good with power." Azula rolled her eyes, unable to mask her disgust with her brother.

Instead of looking surprised, or indignant-The Avatar looked amused at her words. "You're saying you would have been better with that sort of power?"

Obviously.

Azula smirked. "That goes without saying, Avatar."

A shadow of a smile crossed the monk's face before it smoothed out-signaling a shift in mood. "I think most would disagree. You ended up in prison. Your brother ended up on the throne. Can you really boast that you're the superior one anymore?" His words made her pause. He was voicing things she'd been suppressing in the back of her mind-notions that she refused to entertain or acknowledge. She'd been doubting her superiority ever since she woke up. She didn't feel powerful, and as much as it irked her to admit it-she might not deserve the throne either. In her current state, even if she devised an ingenious plan, and used a coup d'etat to steal the Fire Nation back from her brother, she wouldn't be strong enough to rule. It was a sobering thought, one that left her without anything coherent to say.

It was a sad day indeed when Azula was at a loss for words, especially against an Avatar that only recently gained the gift of incite.

"Look, Azula I'm not trying to patronize you." _Now _he says that? Azula scowled, but he continued on, oblivious to her impatient stare. "And I didn't really mean to touch on your ego. I wanted to ask if you were okay. Even if its you...the last few weeks must have been rough, and I know Toph doesn't exactly have the nicest bedside manner."

Her scowl only darkened at his words. When people spoke like this there was no hope of her understanding them. He was concerning himself with her like they were friends, instead of bitter enemies. "Why do you even care? I'm not one of your loyal companions that helped you through the war. I was the one that mercilessly toyed with you, and tried to hand you over to my father on a silver platter, and I would do it again without a second thought if the opportunity arose." She lashed out with words, the only true weapon she had, and had to cull her fury when he didn't strike back. He just smiled-in a familiar patient way Ty Lee used to in the face of her anger.

"I know you would." The monk said softly.

And just like that she was defeated. All the breath left her sails, and her shoulder's slumped sullenly. "You're all insufferable. Every last one of you. Like persistent scabs-everytime I rid myself of one, another patch tries to grow in it's place. No matter what I say or do, nothing drives you away." She complained earnestly, thoroughly fed up with the people here.

The Avatar had the gall to smile. "You're developing a fungal affection for us, aren't you?"

Azula sent him an unamused look, and he had the grace to look sheepish.

"Well, even if you're not, I can't help but empathize with you." He stood up, and stretched rolling his shoulders till a satisfying crack was heard. He glanced up at the ceiling, an absentminded smile creeping over his face as he reminisced about something she couldn't see. "I know what it's like to wake up and have the world completely different from when you went to sleep."

Azula frowned.

That's right.

The Avatar was gone for over one hundred years.

When he woke up-everything was different. She remembered the confusion, and the rage when she opened her eyes to an entirely different era, and had to wonder if the man in front of her felt the same things when he woke up. There were some key differences between their situations. She wasn't a twelve year old boy with the weight of the world on her shoulders, and she didn't have the luxury of waking up in a casket of ice. She was a wartime criminal-condemned by her brother, and alive by the grace of Agni. He woke up in the middle of a war. She woke up in the middle of hell.

He flashed her a knowing look. "It was terrifying wasn't it? Not being sure of anything? Not knowing what had changed, or who? And to make things worse you woke up a different person too, with a whole different array of problems." He gestured pointedly to her broken body. "Sometimes you wonder if it would be easier to go back into the coma..." He asked, ripping from her words she would never allow to pass her lips. Wishing for the coward's way out, for a hopeless escape like that would destroy her long before Zuko did. It appeared that on a primal level, the Avatar did understand, and to a much lesser extent he could read her.

"You're not gonna feed me some line about how _it get's easier with time_ are you?" She asked, her voice dripping with disdain.

"No." He shook his head emphatically, an ambiguous grin firmly in place. "The opposite. It get's harder." Oh, that's marvelous, Avatar. In the future, when you get the urge to speak to me, don't-Azula thought venomously. "But-you're going to get through it the same way I did I think. I was able to acclimate because I had my friends."

Azula blinked.

Was he joking?

At her abhorrent expression, the monk chuckled. "I'm serious. Toph, Lady Grey, and I were all close friends with Ty Lee, and by extension you. We're going to make this as painless for you as possible." He said cheerily, and Azula felt something a kin to horror creeping down her spine. She had no desire to be friends with this man, or any of his other motley crew. They were irritants at best; liabilities at worst, and detrimental to her health either way. "And besides," He murmured softly, fixing her with a grave look, which subsequently made Azula tense at the sudden change in atmosphere. "Ty Lee's funeral is today, and we all need the support."

She was not at the top of her game today.

All traces of indignation faded at his words, and Azula deflated.

It had slipped her mind...

"Ty Lee." A gentle whisper; a slight caress of the acrobat's name from her lips.

Another part of her was going to be buried today.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**Meanwhile...**

Navaro followed his earthbending master silently through the darkness. She'd dragged him off from his meal, and thrown a travel pack in his face-demanding he follow her to Pao Chen-a checkpoint in one of the tunnel circuits. Apparently, they were meeting a task force there, and they were going to discuss a mission. That, however, did not explain why Toph was making them take the long way around, and wanted to speak with him alone. The acclaimed General had been silent since they left the outer boundaries of Safe Haven.

It was making him nervous.

"Are you going to tell me why you dragged me out of Safe Haven, down this dark creepy tunnel, where there are no witnesses, and no one can hear me scream?" He asked, finally breaking the silence.

Toph stopped walking abruptly, and he had to scramble back quickly so he didn't run into her. A low laugh resonated against the walls, and Navaro relaxed imperceptibly. She was laughing. Laughing was good. "Sorry, didn't mean to freak you out." Toph apologized in a tone that was anything but sincere. "I actually dragged you out here for a reason."

Navaro glared at her silheoutted form in the darkness. "Such as?"

Why was she stalling?

He'd known the blind woman for almost five years now, and been her apprentice for half that time. She never had a problem speaking her mind, or expounding her thoughts. Why was today so different? She knew he wouldn't overreact-just like she knew he could handle anything she charged him with. Toph knew everything about him- his personality, his feelings, his skills, his past-why he was an orphan, why he was terrified of the Fire Nation, and Zuko, and she also knew why he would do virtually anything she said..

Toph was like the older sister he never had.

He trusted her with everything.

And she treated him like family.

"Navaro, look- I know you were there when Ty Lee passed, and I know I haven't really talked with you about it, and I'm sorry for that. I need to be more attentive. It's just-you're so self-sufficient, that it's hard to figure out when you do and don't need me around for things...So, are you okay?"

Navaro thought about it. He remembered Bane's face, her oddly resigned expression, her last shuddering breath as she died. His breath hitched, and his hands clenched into fists. Trying to gather himself, his blunt nails dug into his skin, and he used the pain as a focal point. "I'm fine." He lied, his voice coming out shakier than he'd like.

To be perfectly honest, he wasn't fine.

He hated himself a little.

He was right there, and he let Bane die, not only was he unable to save her, he just _left_ her there. He felt it was necessary at the time. He couldn't carry Azula, and Bane, but understanding how practical his decision was at the time didn't stop the guilt from plaguing him. He should have been stronger. He should have been faster. If Toph was there, she could have saved everyone, but she was clearing the path underground so they could leave without being followed, or detected. Bane's death was on _his_ shoulders.

"You're a terrible liar, kid." Toph informed him, and he winced at being caught.

No one could lie to the General.

"I'm not...happy about what happened. Bane-didn't deserve to die like that." Navaro told her with a grimace. It was a fact, and an admission all at once. He couldn't force himself to tell Toph how useless he felt.

"I think if Ty could have chosen any way to die, that would have been it. That girl loved Azula more than life itself." His earthbending master paused, before continuing on in a much softer tone of voice. "Her death wasn't your fault." She surprised him by correctly guessing his thoughts. "There's nothing you could have done."

"You don't know that!" The ferocity of his surprise startled them both, and he realized he just yelled at Toph of all people. But once the words were out, he couldn't stop the rockslide of insecurities from pouring out of him. "If I had gotten her to you, or if I had seen that Azula was about to get attacked I could have done something. I could have done anything, instead I just _stood_ there."

He felt a hand descend upon his head, lightly patting him. "It wouldn't have mattered. If her wounds were as severe as you led me to believe, moving her would have killed her anyways, and even if you had managed by some miracle to drag her over to my location-I don't know anything about healing. She would have died in my care as well, and let's say hypothetically you did see Azula in danger what would you have done? Would you have taken that hit for her? Then you would be dead too." Each word felt like a needle probing deeper into his flesh. It hurt more than anything being told that no matter what he did, Bane would have died. "You did what was best Navaro...and that's why I need your help now."

What?

Navaro blinked. "I...don't understand. I got someone killed."

Toph's voice cut through his self-defeating logic. "No, you kept someone alive, and made the best possible decision with the resources you had available. In spite of Bane's death-Azula is alive because of you, and I need someone with your head to lead a mission today."

Her words warmed him, and terrified him at the same time.

What was he supposed to say to that?

His earthbending master still believed in him, even though he had very little confidence in himself right now. "What do you need me to do?" He asked finally, his hands unclenching so they relaxed at his side.

"The Dragon of the West has been on a rampage, looking for Azula. Two cities have been placed under martial law already, and he's en route to the third one. I need to send him packing back to the Fire Nation because he's getting closer to Safe Haven, and if we don't get rid of him now he will be a real problem later. If I stop him, it will give Zuko something else to focus on besides Azula...However, since Ty Lee's funeral is tonight I decided we should kill two birds with one stone. I need someone to go and get her body-A group that will either carry her back here, or bring her ashes back so we can lay her to rest the right way." The hand on his shoulder fell away. "I want you to lead that group."

"But aren't there guards everywhere where she is..." He frowned remembering Zuko's edict about Bane. The Firelord set her on the edge of the Fire Nation for the crows to feed on, and placed guards around her so no one interferes.

"Yes, that's why it's dangerous, and it's also why I need someone I trust to take care of it." Toph said lightly, and Navaro wished he could say her trust was justified, but he just didn't know.

At the same time even if he thinks her trust is misplaced, how could he say no?

He was worried, but it wasn't in his nature to back down, and he definitely didn't want to disappoint Toph.

He'd rather try and fail miserably, then not try at all and end up always wondering.

"Alright, I'll do it." He agreed hesitantly, and even in the absolute darkness he could feel her smirk.

"Excellent. Let's do this then."

* * *

**And we're done. The next chapter shall be up in awhile. I'm not going to say when because I clearly can't stick to timelines. I decided to give Navaro some perspective time since I feel like I haven't expanded on his character enough even though he's so very important to this plot. Anyways. Comments? Questions? **  
**R and R and thank you for patiently waiting for the update. The next one is going to be fairly long because I have to hit the palace, the journal, Iroh and Toph, Navaro and Bane, as well as Katara...**

**So look out out for that. **

**Laterz My lovelies.**


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